Teacher Appreciation Door Ideas

A couple of readers left comments on my last post linking me to doors they have decorated before.  I LOVE being able to see what is going on in other schools!  This first door, Lucky Pup, is from Gloria's Crafts.  It's so cute it's almost making me consider changing my current pirate classroom theme to dogs.

Here is another idea.  This door looks like a fun, interactive door that the students would enjoy.  This idea comes from Party of Four.

If you have a picture of a door you have decorated or better yet, if you have it on your blog, let me know and I will feature you too!  I still have some pictures I took from last year that I will be sharing.  Stay tuned.  For now...all of you wondering, Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-6, but teacher appreciation DAY is May 3rd.  No worries, you still have a month to plan things out~!

Classroom Door Decorations

Whether you agree or not, being a room mom can be a bit overwhelming at times, especially if you are doing all of the party planning, contacting parents, working on projects, or teacher appreciation week.  Here are some pictures of classroom doors from around my school.  I took these pictures last year because I see all of the time and effort that goes into decorating each door and sadly the decorations don't last forever, or sometimes even a week.  Truthfully, decorating the classroom door can be as easy or as hard as you make it.  I am a visual person so pictures help me to visualize the end result.  I hope you can find an idea or two here to help you out.  Enjoy!

Same message...different idea:

More pictures and ideas to come, but for now The Biggest Loser is on and my kids are yelling for me to come watch it with them.  Can't miss one of my favorite shows!!  Let me know if you have a door decoration idea you would like featured.  I would love to see how you use these ideas!

A Clock Made From Teacher Supplies

Teacher appreciation is about a month away, but I just found a blog that had some ideas listed so I thought I would share now in case you are in the mood to spend the next month crafting.  Diary of a Crafty Lady has several different ideas, but I really thought this idea was pretty clever!

A Clock Made from Teacher Supplies:

St. Patrick's Day Bulletin Board Idea

Inspired by the creativity I found out there in blog-land, I decided to add these cute little Leprechauns to my bulletin board. 

I got such a kick out of this Leprechaun's goatee.  Oh and in case you are wondering why he looks mad, I was told because his gold was being stolen.  Haha.  I guess that would make a Leprechaun mad.

I even got some girl Leprechauns.  Hey, why not?

I have found several teachers who have used this idea so I am not really sure where it first came from.  To give credit, I have seen this idea on The First Grade Parade and Erica Bohrer's First Grade.  I know that I downloaded the template that says "I feel lucky when" from somewhere, but now I am not sure.  If you know, please let me know so that I may link to their blog.  Thanks a million for sharing!
*Update - Thank you Rachelle for letting me know the other blog I was leaving out.  Primary Perspective is where I found this printable "I Feel Lucky When..."   Thank you!!!

I Feel Lucky!

Want to know why I am feeling lucky this St. Patrick's Day?  Well...remember the post I did here a few weeks ago about the give away Mrs. Parker was doing?  Well it just so happened that I WON!  I was so excited to check my mail and find this book earlier this week.

 

 
I really don't think you understand.  This could just possibly be my first thing to win...EVER!  Love it!  Thanks a million Mrs. Parker!!!

St. Patrick's Day Centerpiece and Treasure Hunt

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!

Wow!  You might think that I was Irish by that greeting!  Anyway...Jesse Kate Designs had a few St. Patrick's Day ideas from last year that I filed away.  So a year later...here we go. 
This has me thinking green.  Send this off with your child to school or greet your child as they come home from school.  Check out this centerpiece:

OR...you could send your kids on a teasure hunt like the one I did here or like the one Jesse Kate did for her kiddos.  I have to say, hers is cooler because she has included a FREE download of clue tags.

Laura Numeroff Circle Story Unit Give Away

Made for First is doing a Give Away where you can enter to win this unit.

Head over to her blog now for a chance to enter and win...or don't...that leaves me with better odds! :)

St. Patrick's Day Math Center

Making Learning Fun has some great St. Patrick's Day math ideas to use for centers.  I like to meet with my 1st grade students in small settings as opposed to teaching it whole group.  For me, that allows me to see more clearly who is "getting it" and who isn't.  I like to do 3 math rotations with 6 students per group.  I happen to be using the roll and color addition game this afternoon.

I explain my centers at the rug whole group first and then send them to their tables.  I am at one of the "centers" to work on math from their math book.  Yes...I am the boring center, but the one that has to be done.  My others centers usually consist of a game, activity, or a (dare I say the word) worksheet to  go along with the concept being taught.  I usually have directions typed up to go along with the game so that if kids have questions (and I am busy) they can be reminded of how to play.
Here are the directions to this game:

Roll and Color St. Patrick’s Day

Addition

 Items needed to play: 

Pot of gold paper – 1 per person

Crayons

2 dice per partner

Directions:

Roll 2 dice and add the numbers together.  If the answer IS NOT already colored, then you may color it.  If the answer IS already colored, then your turn is over.  The first person to color all the coins and the pot is the winner.

How do you teach math??

Lucky Charm Graphs

I have noticed in my Live Feedjit feed lately (yes, I do look there from time to time) that a lot of you out there are searching for a lucky charms graph for elementary aged students.  Well...I have what you are looking for.  Actually, I have found what you are looking for!  I posted about a place where I found one before, but I have since found two others.

What the Teacher Wants has a complete St. Patrick's Day Unit ready to download (for FREE) and it is filled with fun things.  You will find a Lucky Charms graph among many other things.

Another great blog that has super ideas is Stay and Play.  She is a temporarily retired teacher (that's what I use to all myself) as she stays home to raise her kids.  She also shares a great St. Patrick's Day unit (for FREE).  There is a Lucky Charm graph inside her unit as well.

I can't believe how many wonderful and inspiring teacher blogs I have come across lately!  Make sure to tell these ladies thank you if you use their units.  It is amazing the hard work they put into these units (and others) and are willing to share.  THANK YOU both!!

St. Patrick's Day Treats

Thinking about giving a treat to someone for St. Patrick's Day this year?  Look no further.  It Is What It Is has some great ideas and free downloadble tags.
You're My Pot O' Gold:

Not quite what you had in mind?  Well I think anyone would consider themselves LUCKY to receive these:

Taste the Rainbow

No...I am not talking about Skittles.  Fun Snacks 4 Kids has a fun idea for preschool aged kids.  Match the Fruit Loop color to the color on the rainbow.  What a great activity for kids just learning their colors!