US Postcard Exchange Sign Up

I signed up for a postcard exchange and didn't hear anything back from them so... here is my own!

If you're interested click on the picture above to link to the google sheets.  Add your information. 

I am accepting three teachers per state.  If all three are taken you can add your name and email to the 4th tab the waiting list.

Where can I get postcards?

• I got mine for our state tourism.
• Check local stores (mom and pop shops) usually cheaper.
• www.zazzle.com $1.00 each
• Use blank postcards and have the kids draw (Staples)
• Vistaprint (250 for $26.24)

While waiting for all the addresses you can start writing out your postcards.  You can have you or the kids write them.  I like to write a group note and then I type the message onto 2x4 labels.   Please try to send a postcard that shares something about your state, a fun fact or even a joke!

I look forward to doing this project with you!

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Continents and Oceans

My students struggled a bit with learning the names of the continents and oceans so I came up with this extra practice activity.

Using an old laminated blank map I added sticky magnet tape to the 7 continent areas and 4 ocean areas.  These maps came with our old Social Studies textbook!

I used 2 different colored cardstock to write the names with a simple Sharpie.  Add a magnet piece on the back and walaa!!  I could have typed it all up and laminated but I was done making this center in 10 minutes.

On a 2nd copy I wrote the answers so they could self check!!

This is my classes' ultimate favorite video of the year.  They laughed so hard we couldn't hear the words.  They ask to hear it again and again!!

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American Flag Art

Students used torn paper to make these.  I offered them various shades and they chose.  This idea came from Deep Space Sparkle by Patty.

The students made these adorable American Flags for the 4th of July!

They decorated the office!  So adorable!

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Stone Soup Promethean Board Freebie

We are in the final practices of our Thanksgiving Play!  There was less time this year to practice.  We should have started in October!

The kids have made their costumes and are very excited to make their stone soup tomorrow!  Click below to get a little 2 page freebie for the Promethean Board that uses the software Activinspire.

CCSS 1.RL.1

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I was finally able to upload my Australian Unit with Mem Fox books on an Activinspire Flipchart to TpT.  My flipchart was too big so I had to adjust some of the pages - bummer.

This 32 pages of Australian Info and links is only $2.00.  Enjoy!!

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US Postcard Exchange

The US Postcard Exchange was so much fun and educational!!  Our Social Studies series doesn't include very much on the states so this was a big boost for their learning.

This is the board that we made with the collection of postcards.

Now what to do with the cards????

• Make a book (but you wouldn't be able to see the backs)
• Put them in a brag book photo book (but some of the postcards were too large)

So...I decided to put them in a plastic folder.

I put the envelope in the library and the students are enjoying looking at them during Read to Self and Read to Someone!  What high interest reading!!

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Multi-cultural Night

Tuesday night our school had our first annual Multi-cultural Night.  We've done something like this in the past but not to this scale.  Each grade level picked a country to work on and present on tables.  First grade was Australia.  We worked on books with Mem Fox.  What fun!  Here are some photos of our night!

Aborigine Dot Art

While I was working on this unit on Australia and books by Mem Fox, I used a lot of  internet links.  I put this on an ActiveInspire Flipchart.  I want to upload it to TpT but TpT is down right now so I will upload it as soon as I can.

Here's a preview.

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Tired and the leprechauns are coming!

Boy am I tired tonight!  And when I was putting my 6 year old to bed he reminded me that we needed to make a leprechaun trap!!!  Oops!  I guess I'll get that started and finish it with him in the morning!  Why do we teachers assign this stuff! :)

Good thing I bought the St. Patrick's Clipart from The 3AM Teacher!!  I guess I'll be up until 3 AM finishing a trap!  I'd say I'll post a picture of it but we'll see if it's photo worthy!


Graphics by The 3AM Teacher
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-3am-Teacher 

http://the3amteacher.blogspot.com/

Wish Me Luck!

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Postcard Exchange

This year my class participated in the postcard exchange!  We had a lot of fun learning things about new states and they absolutely loved coloring in the map and learning the abbreviations of the states!  We spread them out over the year so we weren't learning too much at a time.  We received postcards from 29 states.  I was hoping for more but maybe they got lost in the mail. 

Here's our display cabinet where we put all of the postcards and I put a few of the maps below. 

Of course their Valentine Friendship project is in there too.  Have to use the space I have!

Thank you to all who sent us a postcard.  We had a blast and we hope to do this again next year!

 Here's a previous post on the Postcard Exchange! Click Here!

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Koalas and Possums!!

This week we are teaching a unit on Australia.  We will be displaying all our projects at International Night in March.  Each grade had to pick a country.  We are focusing on Mem Fox as the author!  What fun we are having.  I'm hoping to post my Promethean Board unit on TpT soon!

Today we read Possum Magic and colored these cute possums and added facts to the back.  They had a lot of fun with this.

Did you know that possums do not hang by their tails?  I do now!!  I had to hang them anyway!!

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MLK Drawings

My students made MLK drawings last week and I couldn't help but post a few photos.  They make them all so different and cute!  I combined a few ideas from a few bloggers.  I used the drawing directions from kindergartenmonkeybusiness.blogspot.com and then I used a freebie for the speech bubble but I can't remember who it was from.  Instead of a black and white photo that was suggested I just used their class picture.

Lots of cute ideas!

This first one looks like Obama!  Oops!

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US Postcard Exchange

The students and I are just loving getting all these postcards in the mail!!  We color in our maps as we learn about their states.  Learning the borders has been a bit tricky but it is a great introduction to the map.  Today we colored in Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa!!  It's easier if I group the states together.

 I know they don't look too happy but I guess I have to work on my timing!!

Here's my previous post where you can download a whiteboard activity!  Click Here.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!
Lori

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