Monday Made It & My New Toy!

Happy Monday!  I can't believe I only have two weeks left until school starts!  Yikes...

This week I decided to transform my clipboard.  Here's the before.  B.o.r.i.n.g!

Can you believe I've been carrying this thing around for the past few years?

And now...

I just love duct tape! :)

I also made a behavior clip chart a couple of weeks ago.  However, I've since read THIS POST by Kristin at The Teeny Tiny Teacher.  So now I think I'm going to ditch my clip chart and go for the yellow tags!  I wanted to share it any way since  I'm a little sad I won't be using it.  I figure I'll save it for when the students start acting like they don't know what in the world school is all about if we need a change.

Lastly, I got an early birthday present!  

YAY!  I have been able to get so much done!  Only two people at my school are allowed to use the laminator, so needless to say, I haven't been able to laminate anything this summer!

My mom and I had so much fun laminating and cutting out all my stuff.  Of course, my husband thought we were crazy. ;)

Ahhhh...freshly laminated...only teachers understand! :)

Have a great week!!

Monday Made It :)

It's Monday, again! 

 I've been looking forward to Mondays this summer.  I know that will change v.e.r.y. soon.  I only have two more before school starts.  :(

My Mom and I spent the weekend painting two things for my classroom.  They are both thrift store finds and were cute before, but they just didn't match my room colors/decor.  The pencils are now light blue and light green.

Before & After Bookcase

Before & After Table

I think they will look great now with my jungle/zebra stuff. 

Next on the agenda is painting my rocking chair!


Link up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics to share what you've made! :)

Donorschoose Gift Card Giveaway!

Check out Jennifer's awesome giveaway at Herding Kats in Kindergarten!  She is giving away THREE gift cards to be used on Donorschoose projects!  

Go check it out and enter to win!  You can help your own project or someone else's!

Monday Made It!

I actually made this on Monday night, but haven't had time to sit down and blog about it until now! :)

Here's my inspiration:

Source: Learning in Wonderland

I wanted to have a place for all those Box Tops.  I've tried sending home those sheets where they can glue them on, but only a few students ever use them.  The rest of the kids who collect them just come in carrying them in their hands (and usually end up putting them on my table) or I find them crammed in their homework folders (even though that sheet I gave them for collecting them is in the folder....hmmm....).  

The only thing I could find to use that I already had was an empty Kleenex box.

I just covered it in zebra duct tape!

And then I added a title!

I think I may add an actual Box Top somewhere like my inspiration did. :)

So, now they will know exactly what to do with them!  I'm loving all the wonderful crafts everyone is doing!

UPDATED Monday Made It - with instructions!

I am loving summer!!!  

However, I can't believe it's halfway over. :(  

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It!  I feel like I've finally done something productive this summer.  Every other day has been spent lounging in pajamas, reading, watching TV, reading blogs, checking Pinterest, watching TV, reading blogs, checking Pinterest, ...............

I was planning on buying a hanging file organizer this month.  So glad I found this great idea HERE  I made my own! :)  I made mine a little bit different since I don't have a sewing machine.  Duct tape to the rescue! 

I used six file folders, tape, zebra duct tape, and stickers.  
I'm going to use this for the things that were always on my teacher table or bookcase last year:  various papers that need to put in the right place, extra stuff (newsletters, behavior calendars, etc.), clinic passes, counselor passes, and Box Top sheets.

***Several bloggers have asked me to post instructions.  Here are the steps I used.  I basically followed the directions from the link I posted above where I found this idea.  

1. Each file folder has a front and a back.  

2. The front and back both have an inside and an outside.

  

3. The inside is where your papers would go if you were using the folder the regular way.  

4. Fold down the tab edge of each folder to the outside of the front of the file folder. 

5. Glue the inside of the back side of one folder to the outside of the back side of the folder that will be above it. (I know this sounds confusing, but you'll get it! :) )  The folders will be nesting inside of each other.

6. I then used duct tape on the edges to secure the folders.  Then I added a little strip to kind of separate each folder.

7.  Once you put the duct tape on the edges you may need to cut little slits on each side where the folder opens so that your papers will fit in smoothly.  (The folders are not going to open up very far, but I don't plan on putting much in each pocket at one time.)

I hope these instructions are helpful!! :)

Happy Monday! :)

Click below to link up!

New First Grade Blog - check it out!

Hey everyone, Kelly at First Grade Fairytales has a brand new blog she would like to share!

Please go visit her and give some encouragement!

Click below. :)

July Currently!

It's July! :)  Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th!

Click below and link up! 

Monday Made It

I am loving summer!!!  

However, I can't believe it's halfway over. :(  

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It!  I feel like I've finally done something productive this summer.  Every other day has been spent lounging in pajamas, reading, watching TV, reading blogs, checking Pinterest, watching TV, reading blogs, checking Pinterest, ...............

I was planning on buying a hanging file organizer this month.  So glad I found this great idea HERE  I made my own! :)  I made mine a little bit different since I don't have a sewing machine.  Duct tape to the rescue! 

I used six file folders, tape, zebra duct tape, and stickers.  
I'm going to use this for the things that were always on my teacher table or bookcase last year:  various papers that need to put in the right place, extra stuff (newsletters, behavior calendars, etc.), clinic passes, counselor passes, and Box Top sheets.

Happy Monday! :)

***Several bloggers have asked me to post instructions.  Here are the steps I used.  I basically followed the directions from the link I posted above where I found this idea.  

1. Each file folder has a front and a back.  

2. The front and back both have an inside and an outside.

  

3. The inside is where your papers would go if you were using the folder the regular way.  

4. Fold down the tab edge of each folder to the outside of the front of the file folder. 

5. Glue the inside of the back side of one folder to the outside of the back side of the folder that will be above it. (I know this sounds confusing, but you'll get it! :) )  The folders will be nesting inside of each other.

6. I then used duct tape on the edges to secure the folders.  Then I added a little strip to kind of separate each folder.

7.  Once you put the duct tape on the edges you may need to cut little slits on each side where the folder opens so that your papers will fit in smoothly.  (The folders are not going to open up very far, but I don't plan on putting much in each pocket at one time.)

I hope these instructions are helpful!! :)

Click below to link up!