DIY Classroom Hanging Wall Pockets Using Soap Boxes

 

 

    

For many years I have been using these little pockets on my classroom walls.

 

 

 

     I don't like clutter on surface areas and I love having what I need at my fingertips.  If I have a chart tablet hanging in one end of my room away from my desk, I like having the markers at my fingertips.

 

    
     I don't want to waste time walking across the room.  I know where things are and stuff is organized and up, away and not creating clutter on my shelf or on the floor or on the desk.  We know, teachers, how cluttered our rooms can get in just a few minutes.  No one wants to spend their lunch hour organizing and putting stuff away.  Oh, I'd much rather stand at the Xerox machine with a cheese sandwich in one hand and making copies with the other. ;)
    
      These are so simple to make.  They're so cute, too.  This year I jazzed them up with little denim pockets from Ashley Hughes and incorporated amazing clipart from so many of our talented artists on TPT.  

YOU CAN GET THE LABELS BY CLICKING HERE. 

 

     

      Here's how you make them.  In September I buy a couple of six packs of dove soap.  I suppose any soap would do, but I think the dove boxes are sturdy and I use the soap.  I love the soap.

 

    
      If you buy individual boxes, you tend to get the lettering on the side.  I prefer no lettering, so I buy the cartons.

 
    When you open the soap, be careful to open it at the correct end.  One end has straight tabs, the other end has irregular tabs. I open it from the end where the tabs are straight and I cut off all but the tallest tab.  I hang the boxes from that tab. 

    

      Next, I copy the pockets on cardstock (or you can use regular copy paper) and laminate them.  I cut them to size and I like to leave a little bit of a white edging.  It just looks neat to me.

 

   
       As you can see, I made pocket labels for every imaginable object you could hang in your classroom.  Not only for markers and things like that, but for your flash drives, glasses, keys and lots of different flashcards, word cards and activity cards. 

     
       After cutting out the pocket labels that I want and trimming the soap box tabs, I hot glue the labels onto the boxes.  It's that simple.  Make sure the tops of the labels are aligned with the top of the box opening.

     Then I have fun hanging them up and filling them.  I use a heavy duty stapler to staple them into bulletin board frames, wooden closet doors, window frames, old chalk board frames, or anywhere I can think of where I would need my supplies.  I even have a pocket for my reading glasses.  They're always there when I need them. 

 

 

 

 

      What to do with all the bars of soap?  Put them in a lovely bowl and display them in your bathroom. 


     Well, if you do use these, and you find that I forgot to include something, please let me know.  I'd be happy to add it to the set.  Have fun organizing!!

Mother's Day Craft for First Grade: Salt Art Flowerpots

Many years ago my friend Nancy taught me how to make these fabulous Mother's Day crafts for the kids to bring home to their moms.  I don't do it every year.  The  projects change from year to year, but this is always a big hit and one of my favorites.
 

 

It does require a lot of organization on your part, if you are doing it with the whole class.  I split the kids into two groups and I only do it with 12 or fewer kids at a time. 
 

I include a picture tutorial on how to make the flowers after I explain how to make the pots. 

 

This is what you need to make the flower pots (plus sharpies for them to write their names on the bottom of the cups).

First, hand out the plastic cups and have them write their names with sharpies on the bottoms of the cups. I spread lots of paper plates out on the long table and put a piece of colored chalk on each. I pour salt on each of the plates.

The kids can choose a color and take a plate. At my signal, the kids rub the chalk around in the salt

and the salt changes color. 

When I signal them to stop, the kids fold their paper plates and pour the colored chalk into the cup (remind them to keep the cups on the table). 

 The kids do this process with three different colors. (Discourage them from handling the cups during the process).  

Then they take a pencil or chopstick and make indentations down the sides of the cup (I tell them to count 8, so they don't overdo it). (Do I sound a little bit like a micromanager?? Maybe I am. I could just say that I'm very "structured".  Hmmm.)

Then I pour Elmer's glue on top of their salt.  This will dry in a day or two and the salt will set and not come out of the cup.

Add green tissue paper to the top of the glue

while the glue is wet.

I used paper, not tissue, in the above photo. 

Use tissue, because it has a better look.

When the glue dries after a day or two, you can poke two holes (for two stems) in the top and they can insert their flowers.  (The glue is very hard and it's difficult for the kids to poke holes into it themselves).

Making the Flowers

To make the flowers I use a multitude of colors.  I cut long strips, approximately 5" wide by 12" long. 

I lay the tissue strips by color and let the students pick four strips for each flower.  They also choose a pipe cleaner for each flower.

First, place all four strips in a nice neat pile.

Next, fold the strips of tissue into an accordion.  I demonstrate this part several times, then do it with my students.

Then, place the pipe cleaner behind the middle of the folded tissue paper strips.   Make sure the pipe cleaner is in the middle.  If one end is too short, it is very difficult to separate the layers. I tell them to make a 't" with the pipe cleaner. 

Next, twist the pipe cleaner tightly, but not too tightly so as to crumple the paper. 

 

 

The fun part is last.  Carefully spread the accordion folds and then gently start to separate the layers, beginning with the bottom layer. 

 

 

 

You may want to make the flowers with small groups of students.  The folding, separating and twisting are not easy for little hands.  The children may get frustrated and need a little bit of your help. 

 

They came out great and the kids were so proud of their creations.  I'm sure the moms loved them, too. 

 Happy Mothers Day!!

 

 

 

Onset and Rimes : Five Free Games for Teaching and Practicing the Reading of CVC Words

I made these little simple onset and rime matching games over the summer. 

Ahhh...summer.

Anyway, I've gotten so much use out of these since school started.  It's such a simple concept.  Match the beginning sound to the ending sound.  The graphics are so important to beginning readers, and I tried to use common words the students would know.

When I opened my TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) store in September, I wanted something to offer for free to teachers that they could really use. As of today, close to 50,000 of them have been downloaded.  I get such a thrill knowing kids all over the country are using a little game that I made!   

 If you'd like to download them, click here.  You need to download all the games separately. 

You need to copy and laminate all the cards. I like to cut them with a paper trimmer and I cut outside the colored lines.  It looks nicer and takes less thought.

 

 

 

When I set it up for the kids in school, I separate the cards, and put the onsets on the left and the rimes on the right or I use 2 mini pocket charts side by side.

These are the mini pocket charts from Target.  I LOVE them and I bought about 14 of them in August.  (yes, turquoise!!!!!! <3) They're all over my room.

 

Kids get extra practice writing the CVC words with the addition of recording sheets.  There are answer keys in each set, as well.

 

 I made a set for each of the five vowel sounds.

 

If you're a teacher and you're creative, think about opening up a TPT store.  Since I opened mine in September, I've had a blast.  Enjoy!!! 

 Have fun teaching!

10 Days of Halloween Centers for First Grade: Day 10 - Halloween Candy Addition Math Mats

Well, it's here. This is my final post in my series on Halloween Centers for First Grade. 

 The one I'm featuring today is similar to the one I posted last week, the Candy Corn Addition Mats. My first graders love this one, too.  It's colorful, simple and it gives them the practice they need adding with counters.  

I have many more Halloween centers. In fact, I have well over 100 centers in all different skill areas and I created most of them myself. They do take time to create, and they also take time in copying, laminating, cutting and demonstrating with the kids on how to use them.  

I think they're totally worth it. It's such a great feeling when you hear kids cheer when you tell them it's center time. It gives them the practice with skills they are learning and gives them the opportunity to be independent.  That builds confidence.  It also gives you the time you need to spend with students who require more attention.

I can have 18 to 20 centers going at one time.  One day, I'll share how I do that. For now, I'll show you this one.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT, CLICK HERE.
 

It comes with 12 addition mats and lots of different colored candy counters. Yum! 

Students simply place the candy counters on the two Halloween Trick or Treat "containers". 

You can also use real, wrapped candy for counters as well.

The students use a recording sheet to write the sums and check their answers with the answer key. 

 

 To keep all the candy counters separate and organized, I place them in these mini plastic tubs I found at Dollar Tree.  You'd be surprised, but the kids are very careful in putting them back in the little tubs.  I don't even tell them to do it.

 

 

.  I saved this one for last, because I think it's so darn cute and so reminiscent of my childhood during Halloween - memories of trick or treating and getting tons of candy!

 

Well, that's it.  Maybe next year I'll show you ten more. Happy Halloween!!

 

 Thank you so much for visiting.

Have fun teaching!!!