My Teacher in a Snow Globe

I mentioned in my Snow Globe project post that a previous student put ME into her snow globe and wrote the cutest story ever. I pulled it out of my FOREVER file to share with you!

The story adds even more cuteness:

It was a day before Christmas and Ms. T was sleeping with a snoring cat beside her. Then, within a step from the cat, there was a tricky mouse. Suddenly, the cat woke up and the cat started to chase the mouse all around the Christmas tree. To escape, the mouse ran up the tree. Then the cat knocked the Christmas tree over! As the tree fell, a snow globe ornament fell on Ms. T's head. She woke up and the water from the snow globe made Ms. T shrink. Of course, Ms. T was horrified when she shrank. She was as tiny as her cat, Mr. Wiskers. Mr. Wiskers started to chase Ms. Tiny T.

Then Ms. T yelled, "Help, help, I need help."  After a little while a cricket heard and said,

"Do not fear, Mr. Cricket is here." The cricket said to Ms. T, "You should go inside the snow globe." She replied, "In the snow globe?" and the cricket said, "Yes!" So, Ms. T ran inside the snow globe. While she was in the snow globe she realized it was cold, but she felt safe. So my teacher was happy inside her snow globe especially when we would pick up the globe and shake it around.

Let your class try their own creative writing efforts. Get the project {HERE}

Acrostic Synonym & Antonyms

I loved the acrostic poem idea I found {HERE} for antonyms and synonyms.  I retyped and "cutified" them!

Click image to grab your copy!

Take them or leave them

Like them or hate them

I'm on an antonym and synonym roll!

Gifts of Giving Bags

My class is treated to "Gifts of Giving" goodie bags just prior to our winter break. The basic idea is to have students bring in a class set of goodies like seasonal pencils, candy canes, erasers, or holiday Dollar Store items. I send home a donation letter to parents, and those that want to send treats in do.  All students decorate their gift cover and glue it to the front of a paper bag. As donations come in I fill the bags with all the treats and on our last day together every student has their own "Gifts of Giving" goodie bag. You can take a peek at my sample letter below and also grab a copy of my "Gifts of Giving" cover.

Grab a copy of the bag cover:

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My Window

I snapped this picture this fall Thanksgiving morning. This is the beauty that greets me every time I sit at my laptop to blog, grade, or lesson plan. I love my view from my kitchen window.

"I look out this window and I think this is a cosmos, this is a huge creation, this is one small corner of it. The trees and birds and everything else and I'm part of it. I didn't ask to be put here, I've been lucky in finding myself here."

~Morris West~

Thinking of Thanks

I'm joining Oh Boy 4th Grade and What the Teacher Wants Thankful linkies.

Harley & Me

I'm currently typing this post as a one eyed teacher due to eye surgery this morning. I have a huge eye patch over one eye and it's taken me FOREVER to correct all my misspellings.  But I'm recovering with gratitude because IT is the way, even though the doc says I'll be black, blue and bruised for Turkey Day. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving vacation.

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It's Snow Globe Time

I know I mentioned that my No Cost Gift writing was a favorite of the season, but my Snow Globe project is on the top of my list too.  I have my students do this as a take home project, but you can also complete it in class. Students create a character inside their snow globe and then write a story about how the character came to be inside it. The stories always turn out fabulous! My favorite story was one titled, "My Teacher, Ms. Talbott, in the Snow Globe". I've saved that one in my FOREVER file.  I'll have to dig it out and post it for you...it's adorable I must say.

Get this project {HERE}

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Come Join the group!  (Freebie ideas and giveaways are sometimes shared there!)

No Cost Gift Writing

My FAVORITE December holiday writing activity is related to No Cost Gifts.

I assign each student an item that costs nothing monetarily, and they write about how they appreciate it in their lives.  

Grab it at my store

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

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Tongue Twisters...A Twist of Fun!

Today we had a "Twist of Fun"! My students presented tongue twisters.

I assigned each student a tongue twister to practice at home, copy, illustrate, and color.

Then the tongue tying fun began!

Here are some samples:

You can get this project file {HERE}

It includes a direction cover, writing paper and a list of 33 tongue twisters.

Four furious friends fought for the phone

Does the shop stock socks with spots?

I saw a saw that could outsaw any other saw I ever saw.

Farmer Mac Nugget's Turkeys

What a classic read for Thanksgiving!

For my first grade blogger friends I ran across a math story mat lesson I used to do with my firsties following this story.

I guess now I can enrich this same lesson by dividing or multiplying turkeys and haystacks for my 3rd graders!

These mats used turkeys and hay stacks to build subtraction word problems.

I laminated the mats for reuse.

Thankful Bucket Fillers

Have your students fill buckets this week in a thankful way!

Click each photo to download each bucket filler note.

~Enjoy~

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 (Freebie ideas and giveaways are sometimes shared there!)

 

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Gobble Up Turkey Facts

My class will be gobbling up some turkey facts this week for science.

I begin by reading Jim Arnosky's book I'm a Turkey.

Listen to his cute ol' song to go along with the story

I've made a Turkey Fact powerpoint too.

Click to download

I'm using this powerpoint with this {website} that has background information, short video clips of turkeys and various turkey gobbles and cackles.

Watch My Life as a Turkey on PBS. See more from Nature.

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A Plateful of Turkey: Turkey Craft

Come make yourself a plateful of turkeys. Here's how. I was originally inspired by the idea {HERE}, but didn't want to have my kiddos paint all those plain white plates! My easy solution was to use seasonal and colored plates. They are a little thicker and harder to roll, but it's doable.

Start with a solid brown plate and roll it into a cone. Staple it and cut off larger bottom end to use as wings. Then, cut the fall leaf plate into 3/4 and 1/4 parts for the feather accents.  Layer the cut plates and staple to cone body. Last, add your too cute turkey face.  All done and with no painting!  Wala...I'm sending mine home with the students for their Thanksgiving table centerpieces.

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Veterans Day Valor

Honor and appreciate the sacrifices of all veterans.

In remembrance of my grandfather who was killed in action on Iwo Jima.

I'm going to have my class write letters of thanks to veterans.

The letter header states

"Your service is the "Heart and Sole" of our country"

Gotta love the boot footprint heart!

Grab a copy of it {HERE}

The above letter template is part of my Veterans Day Unit

For even more Veterans Day lesson ideas check my other blog post {HERE}.

Gratitude Journal Prompt Writing for Thanksgiving Lessons in the Classroom

Thanksgiving at the Tappleton's is an adorable holiday read aloud with a great message of finding gratitude in all situations. The Tappleton's traditional Thanksgiving meal goes all awry when Mrs. Tappleton lets the frozen turkey accidentally slide down the icy sidewalk into the pond. The meal plans go from bad to worse shape from there on in! It's a very cute read.

This book is a perfect lead in to my Gratitude Journal prompts I use in November.

This set has 18 prompts focused on thanks and gratitude.

I also do this adorable Apple Turkey Craft. It makes a wonderful table decoration for families on Thanksgiving.

Click picture to grab a copy.

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I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!