Wonderland classroom decor and themes on a budget

Hi, there! I am Erin, from Very Perry Classroom coming to you on my third week of Kinder Camp! Third week?! Some people in the U.S. are still in school! I can't believe I am on day 10/16 tomorrow! Where did the time go? I don't know about you, but I am enjoying every spare moment I have had so far this summer break, and it feels so good!

As I shared last week on our linky, I am moving to first grade! With the grade change, I have decided it was time to change my classroom decor. SO, I am moving away from "The Mouse " (Or the "Mice," rather), and going in another direction... A more colorful direction... towards Wonderland!!

I know so many of you have seen the AMAZING classroom that Hope King of Elementary Shenanigans has at Ron Clark Academy. Beautiful, beautiful work that I can only drool over... Seriously, check it out and prepare to dream and/or drool...  I did want a lot of the whimsy and color from the Disney version of the story, since I will still be in primary... SO, taking some of the concepts from both versions, I think I have an idea in mind! I can't wait to share more in August, when it is complete.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some of the ways I will affordably be creating decor for my classroom!
When looking for a new classroom theme or design, Pinterest is your B.F.F. I mean, where else can you have a giant resource of ideas at your fingertips? For example, I wanted to find ways to use playing cards in my classroom design, and voila! Look at this adorable idea for a garland from Love to Crop!

I just need to head to Dollar Tree for some playing cards (2 packs for $1), or order some giant ones (About $6) from Amazon!

Another thing I am dying to incorporate is the White Rabbit... That little guy always seems to be in a hurry, and I can totally relate! :)

I found this cute image online at Learning in Wonderland, and can't to create my own similar version, using my Cricut dies. Should only cost about $2 in paper!

I have had a clock with Mickey ears for a few years now (see below), and I am ready to create a Wonderland clock!

One of my favorite scenes in the classic story is when Alice is in the garden with the flowers. I think buying a few of these large flower-shaped pinwheels from Dollar Tree ($1 each) and adding faces would help create a Wonderland atmosphere. 

Finally, I am in love with the "Follow Directions" and "Looking Forward" posters from Eureka Schools. 

($5.49)

($2.99)

I can't wait to fully share how my vision comes together! What theme(s) are you using/have you used in your classroom?

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We're Mixing the Punchbowl!

Hi!  It's Elisabeth from Literacy and Lattes starting off summer by sharing some exciting things happening here at The Primary Punchbowl!  So many of the bloggers behind the Punchbowl are mixing it up and moving to new jobs!  We wanted to share our changes with you...and maybe solicit some advice, too!

For the last 5 years, I've been teaching Reading Recovery (an intensive one-on-one reading intervention) in the mornings and literacy block, science and social studies in a first grade classroom in the afternoons.  It's the best of both worlds.  One-on-one and classroom.  But my true passion lies in helping struggling readers find success so when the opportunity to move into the Reading Room full time, I knew it was time to take the leap!  So I'm moving to another school in my district and taking a step out of the classroom.  I'm so excited, but it's also bittersweet to leave my school and the families that I have worked with over the past years.  

Even in the very beginning of first grade, some of my sweet little reading kiddos come to me with a sense of failure already on their shoulders.  Taking those little first graders and giving them a feeling of success?  There's no better feeling in the world.  Honestly, my job is seriously amazing.  I do think I'll miss having my own classroom of kiddos, but for real...opening the world of reading to a little learner?  Pure magic.  

So in my new job, I'll still be working with four Reading Recovery students one-on-one.  I'll also be "pushing in" to other teachers' classrooms and working with four small groups of primarily first grade students.  

I'll be working on a cart for half the day, so I'm working on an organization system to keep supplies easily accessible and ready to use! Since I'm teaching Leveled Literacy Intervention (aka LLI) most of my supplies are already pretty compact, so that's a big bonus right off the bat!

That brings me to the advice I'm looking for...

In my 11 classroom years, I never had another teacher truly push in to my room.  I've worked with tons of awesome teachers who pulled students out from my room, but that's a whole different story.  So...tell me in the comments: Do you have a teacher who provides services in your classroom?  What works for you?  What makes you totally crazy?  

Check out the other members of The Primary Punchbowl who are moving to new positions!

Are you moving, too?  Feel free to join us and link up to share about your new position!

Happy summer!

  

An InLinkz Link-up

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Using Google Drawings in the Primary Classroom

Hi guys! It's Jessica from Pride and Primary! I'm here to show you some ways to use Google Drawings in the classroom, as well as a quick crash course!

Here are some examples of how I use this versatile Google App!

So let's get started!

First, go to drawings.google.com. 

Here's what you see!

 Learn the toolbar real quick.

After you insert a line, a new toolbar shows up.

 Make your choices and then go to insert a text box.

After you insert a textbox, a new toolbar shows up. The Line toolbar is also there in case you want to add a line around your text box.

Insert the text you want and drag it to the places you want. I am making a short a sort, so I chose 4 word family endings and moved them to the four boxes I made. Then click on Tools and Research. The Research Tool opens on the right of the screen. Click in the search bar and a drop down menu appears.

Choose Images and type what you would like to find. I am looking for short a words with the endings I chose. Some pictures I want are cat, hat, ram, crab, mad, etc. I also want to make sure I can use the pictures safely so click on the little arrow under the search bar. ​

When you have the pictures you want, you can press the little x on the research tool to hide it. Here is my Short A Sort. But I’m not finished yet! I have to move the pictures off the canvas to the side so the kids will be able to sort them properly.
I drag the pictures off the canvas to the side. Now it’s almost ready for the students. I like to add another text box with directions off to the other side so they know what to do. ​

I also add a text box in the middle so they have a place to type their name. ​
So simple: Insert text box, choose white as the fill background color. Type “Type Name Here” or what you wish. Choose the font and size and alignment, if you wish. ​

You can add how you want the students to turn in their work, or email it to you.​

Now it’s time for you to share it with your students. This is very important. Click on SHARE. The Share menu pops up. Click on Get shareable link.​

Click the little arrow next to Anyone with the link can view. Here you can choose how to share the file. Now, you don’t want each student working on the same file because they would all edit the same one. You want each kid to have his or her own file to work on. ​

So I leave it on “Anyone with the link can view” and click copy link. Pass the link to your students (however you do that). The students then open the link, click on File and choose Make a Copy. Each student will have his own copy. ​

So there you go! That's how you work Google Drawings. It's such a versatile tool and there is a plethora of possibilities! Have fun exploring and please send me pictures of your fabulous work! 

Here are links to some of my drawings activities: 

AR, ORE Word Sort

Short A Word Family Sort

Picture Match Words with Endings

-ed, -ing Endings

er, ir, ur Sort

If you would like to share any files with me, please email to prideandprimaryblog@gmail.com. 

Happy Teaching! 

Jessica

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