Look How We've Bloomed!

This is a cute display that I put in the hallway for the past couple years in May.  I send home a letter requesting each child bring in a baby picture and a picture of them now.  I have the kiddos decorate a cheap white paper plate with petals any color they wish by tracing their hands and cutting them out.    We have an Ellison die cut machine at school, so I cut out yellow circles for the center.  When they are finished I usually help them cut and glue their picture of them now in the center. Next, they glue a green sentence strip on the back to use for the stem.  On the bottom they trace their shoe for their "seed" on brown paper, cut it out, and glue it to the bottom of the sentence strip.  I write their names on the sentence strip and they always come out so adorable.  You can put brown bulletin paper covering the entire bottom so the seeds look like they are under ground.  Happy Spring!!

Close your eyes and make a wish!

This is one of my favorites!  It comes out super cute and it is pretty easy to make.  After reading the book Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World we close our eyes and think about all the things we wish.  My students then brainstorm their wishes and then they get to type a paragraph about their wishes.

 Yes, they are dandelions! I used white yarn and wrapped the yarn around my hands several times pulled it off and then tied a knot around it. I then cut the loops. I hot glued the flowers on black paper.  The next time I do this I would like to take pictures of the kids blowing and making a wish.

Bump Board

Bumping someone in my classroom is an ultimate favorite for my second graders.  I reserved a small section of my bulletin board for our "Bump Board".  In the beginning of the year I tell my students that I am looking for four super star papers.  Work that is neat, their best work, and of course has their name on it can be in the running to go on our Bump Board.  Once I choose 4 papers I call each child up to hang their papers.  They are so proud as their classmates clap and their masterpieces get to hang proud!!  Then, whenever I come across a paper, test, writing assignment, etc. that is fabulous I call them up and they get to bump someone off.  Before implementing this we talk about not getting upset when their paper is bumped off and to be a good sport.  I have been using this for the past 3 years in my room and have never had a negative issue with it.  It is super easy to implement and it doesn't cost anything to make it. 

Here is a picture of mine...

Bump Board Sign