Christmas Cards to Make With Children

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share with you some craft ideas. Each year, I make Christmas cards with my class. As I work in a Flexible Learning Space, it is now with my grade. This year I plan to offer two styles of cards to the children. As they get to use some of my craft tools, they get really excited and they especially love the results.

We are using the cards as part of our Social Justice focus. To assist the children in their understanding of the importance of giving during the season of Christmas, the children have generously donated some lollies. They will bag them and they will be given to residents in an aged care facility. To sweeten their gift, their cards will be included. Any extra cards will be distributed during Night Patrol. The College invites staff members to assist in the distribution of  tea/coffee/sandwiches to the homeless, facilitated in the Night Patrol van.

These cards require some basic cardmaking skills. The dimensions and construction of the cards are as follows:

Card Front - 15x10.5cm
Coloured Mat-  14.5cm x 10cm
Patterned Mat - 14cm x9.5cm
Patterned Strip 14.5cm
White  Strip 14.5cm x 3cm

1. Glue patterned mat onto coloured mat. Then attach to card front.
2. Using threading water punch, punch along the long edge of white strip.
3. Glue patterned strip to punched white strip, then attach to card front.
4. Ink and stamp bauble, then punch out using ornament punch.
5. Punch two holly leaves using holly leaf punch. Bend the edges of the leaves to add dimension.
6. Stamp Christmas sentiment and punch using Label punch. Using a sponge, ink the edges.
7. Using foam tape, attach bauble to card front. Glue the holly leaves at the stem and glue into position.
8. Glue sentiment into place.

Here are some photos...

Supplies:

Clever Patch Greeting Cards and Christmas Craft Bumper Pack

Stampin’ Up! Gumball Green and Real Red Ink Pad

Stampin’ Up! Delightful Decorations and Ornament Punch

Stampin’ Up! Decorative Label Punch

Sullivan Holly Leaf Punch

Fiskars Threading Water Punch

Merry Christmas Stamp

Glue Stick

Foam Tape

Red, white and green cardstock

I have also supplied a video tutorial for you to view. This is really helpful when demonstrating techniques and also in showing the sequence needed to create the card.

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Classroom Management Strategies in a Primary Classroom part three

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing with you my final strategy that deals with consequences. It is the third installment of my classroom management approach and it works well with the reward ladders. The children have lots of opportunities for rewards, but I also feel that they need to know there will be consequences for 'bad choices.'

(sorry about the photo..its laminated and not good with a flash...when school resumes I will take another photo!)

The children really respond to earning tokens and this system incorporates this in terms of a fine. If a student demonstrates poor behaviour, they will receive a warning (name on the board). Should this continue they then place their peg onto the chart onto the warning card. If the behaviour improves, they can take their peg off or if the poor choices continue, a 5 token fine is given. The children really dislike this and usually if this happens, the negative behaviour ceases. Using this system, it has been extremely rare for me to write a note in a child's diary to communicate any poor behaviour with their parents.

The top section again rewards good behaviour. If a child is exceptional, they can also receive rewards from this system. If they manage to make it to the top of the chart, they receive a huge reward...20 tokens and sometimes a prize from the prize box!

This is an easy system to set up. All you need to do is select what your rewards and consequences will be, purchase some pegs and write the students' name on them. Its easy and is a good visual for the students.

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Classroom Management Strategies in a Primary Classroom part two

Hello everyone. Today I am sharing part two of my classroom management strategy. It too works in the same way as what has been shared in my part one post. This post will look at group rewards.

Group

The system is also based upon the idea of progressing up a ladder where the most desirable reward is at the top. In order to obtain points, the class must earn compliments. A compliment is a verbal reward/praise which can be given by any teacher. One compliment is the same as one point. In order to redeem a reward, the class must agree upon a reward through a vote.

There is no time limit to redeem rewards from both systems.

Rewards

Both the individual and group rewards are negotiated by the class. The children suggest rewards that they would like to have. The rewards duration is for a semester.

 

The presentation of the rewards ladder is the same as the individual ladder.

Some years, the top reward has changed to a movie. The suitability is always based upon G Rated movies that have been negotiated by the class. This system has been quite successful in focusing the students to work toward achieving some together as a group.

I hope that this might give you some ideas. It can easily be adapted to suit the interests of any class. Student voice is a powerful tool that can help motivate students.

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An Insight Into French Knitting plus a tutorial

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share with you a new insight into French Knitting. From 8.30am to 8.45am, we have quiet games in our learning space. They are meant to help establish relationships and also to enable a calm start to the day. I am always on the look out for games and activities that the children enjoy as well as provide some experiences that allow for conversation.

I recently made some French Knitting Looms out of toilet rolls and bought some bright colourful wool. I asked some children to join me and immediately I had a group of children eager to join in. What was amazing was the reaction - I ran out of stock. I have now approx 20-25 looms created.

Both boys and girls join in when the French knitting comes out. They chat and share their experiences with me about who knits etc in their family. Some even bring their own knitting to school to join in. Others ask their siblings to show them what to do as they want to join in or have their own knitting loom. It has also empowered students. Those who are experienced, very graciously assist those new to French knitting or help out when I am busy with other knitters.

Another positive is the feedback from parents. I often hear parents share how their children love to French knit at home. They also share how much their children enjoy the experience.

I had a request from some of the students to create a tutorial. I have accepted the challenge and you can find it below. In my video tutorial I will show you how to create a knitting loom, French knit and cast off.

Supplies:

• toilet roll
• strong adhesive
• pop sticks
• wool

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Helpful Sign and Display Idea

Hello! In my last post, I shared some organisational ideas and today I have another to share. On the Ikea shopping spree, my team and I came upon these photo frames. We thought that they would work as a portable display in the space. They cost from memory approx $1 each.

We have a staggered start in the morning. The classrooms/learning spaces are open from 8.30am. The children participate in quiet activities with their peers and teachers before they day officially starts at 8.45am. The purpose is to encourage a calm start, develop relationships and also for the children and teachers to have a chance to interact and develop relationships.

The frames you can see, contain different signs. These assist in managing noise. The number of participants to an activity is determined by the sign. The signs were printed on photo paper, which makes them look really appealing to the children.

We have a number of these around the learning space. You can place more than one sign inside the frames. They are plastic and are easy to store.

The signs are from SparkleBox. If you like the signs indicating how many students can play here click here for the link. This is a free download.

If you like the Quiet Please sign, it is from Teach This, which is a subscription site worth investing in!


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Looking Beyond The obvious - Storage Solutions

Do you look at products and think what are the possibilities? My colleagues and I did just that with this trolley from Ikea. As you have discovered from my earlier posts, I currently work in a flexible learning space. Looking at this kitchen trolley (it's intended use) we saw it as a solution to organising classroom supplies.

In our Year Three Learning Space, we supply the children with their stationery. This trolley allowed us to have the ability to take all of our supplies in and around the entire space. The three tiers offer storage for a number of items. As you can see, glue, pencils, scissors, activity sheets all travel around with me with ease. We purchased three, one for each teacher.

On this same shopping trip, we also discovered these colourful containers. Again designed for kitchen storage, these hang nicely onto the edge of the trolley. When the children work at desks, the containers come off and when the job is done, the containers go back. No confusion between homerooms and no shortage of supplies.

After having these in our space for approx 2.5 terms, we couldn't imagine working without them. They don't take up a lot of space, they don't get cluttered. They look attractive, are versatile and easy to move around.

My sister and I assembled this trolley together quite easily. If you are unhappy with storage, consider this as an option. I can also see it used as a guided reading solution or something activity/rotational group based.

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