New Year, New Ideas

So this year I figured that I would get organized and start pitching! 

NOT BASEBALLS BUT STUFF!  

 I have taught for 9 years now and the build up...wow!  I'm talking a major build up of STUFF!!

Nine years ago I took over a classroom from an amazing teacher who left everything for me!  I will forever be thankful for that!  But with that comes a lot of stuff!  Her stuff, my stuff, free stuff!  

You gave it, I took it!  

Now that I feel comfortable with my style I figured if I haven't used it in the last...I don't know...8 years I need to pitch it!  

Okay so that is way easier said than done!  I still have a few things that I can't get rid of, and sometimes I am finding things that I didn't even know I had!  BONUS!!!

 With that being said I have been holding on to a huge bin of milk caps!  

I have had these for 8 years. I mean come on...you never know when you might need milk caps, RIGHT!?!?!?!

Well...this is the year!  

The year of the milk caps.

I took these letter stickers that I bought from my FAVORITE store, TARGET,  and made...drum roll please! 

Milk Cap Letters & Numbers

 

I am so excited to use these in my classroom!  

I was inspired!  

I decided to create letter, word work, addition, and subtraction activities to use with milk caps!

Click here to check out these fun activities!

Now I just need to find a use for the other items I am hoarding!   

Time to create true engagement through discovery and exploration!

I love starting the new off by trying new things!  

I have been reading a lot about exploration boxes and became very intrigued.

In my kindergarten classroom presently I do morning work stations.  

There are five different stations:

Red – iPads

Blue - books

Purple – computer

Green & Yellow – skill activity or worksheet  

After reading about exploration boxes…I thought that I would give them a try!

At first I am going to make either my green or yellow station my busy box station.   Eventually, I would like to make both green & yellow busy box stations.

I truly believe that children learn and retain more through exploration and play.

So I decided to create a beginner pack of exploration boxes.  All you need are plastic shoe boxes.  (You can get them for a dollar at the Dollar tree.)

I started off with 9.

I plan on using these all year as both morning work activities and "I'm Done" activities.  I love the easy prep time.   I truly feel that kids learn and retain more through hands on discovery. I am replacing traditional morning work worksheets for busy boxes (exploration boxes).

Print, laminate, cut, and place in busy boxes with playdoh, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, buttons, etc.

Kids will love this fun alternative to learning. Easy to set up and prepare and no need for directions...just let kids explore!

I have created a back to school Busy Box packet to get you started.

Click here to check it out!

This set includes enough for 9 boxes.

I will have it 50% off for the next 2 days!

Get it now for just $1.50!

Hope you enjoy!