Moved...AGAIN!

Please be patient with my blog as I am updating it...AGAIN!  I have moved to a new grade level-from 3rd to 6th grade Language Arts.  It is a new adventure for me and I am just getting a chance to update my blog to reflect the change!

Designing FUN!

Have you seen Ms. Winton's blog post about Child Engineering?  If you haven't...STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND CHECK IT OUT...

Woooweeee!  I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of having students design a project.  I am going to start using them THIS WEEK for our last week.  It is perfect!  Thanks, Ms. Winton!

I did some searching and found another link that is SUPER helpful with already designed projects!  Check it out HERE!

I am no "Dum-Dum" about Management!

When the Spangler Co. contacted me and asked me if I would like free samples of their delicious candy, there was NO WAY I was going to turn them down.  They sent me the most delicious box that I think I have  ever received at school.  It was full of a HUGE sack of Dum-dum suckers, Saf-T-Pops, candy canes, and circus peanuts.  I got to work right away:

This is my Easter-themed Classroom management idea!  I put the Dum-dums in miniature cupcake liners and poked them into a styrofoam cube that I covered with moss!  

When a student is following instructions or does something 100% pleasing to his/her wonderful teacher, they will get the chance to choose a "flower."  That is the pure reward in itself.  

BUT...if they pull out one that has a colored tip, then they will get the sucker AND another small reward (such as take off your shoes for the day, extra iPad time, switch seats with someone, sit at the teacher's desk, etc.)

Another GREAT, GREAT, GREAT idea to do with Spangler's Saf-T-Pops has purely to do with SAFETY!!!  Our school recently had it's first "Intruder Drill."  This is where we practiced exactly what we would do if an intruder was in our building...(let me just preface by saying that I think this has to be one of the most scary drills that I have ever had to do...it is so sad that we live in a world that students need to be prepared for something like this, but I am sooooo very thankful that we are practicing because my students did GREAT!)

One of our most brilliant teachers came up with the idea of having suckers ready for students to put in their mouth during a drill because it would help keep their mouths that much more quiet.  If a real intruder were present, it may also help keep them more calm as well.  BRILLIANT!!!  So, I now keep these suckers in our First Aid Kit and ready to go in case of a tragedy!

THANK YOU so much, Spangler, Co.  If you would like to check out more of their products, please visit their website at:  www.SpanglerCandy.com