Testing Week with Expo Markers

What is one thing teachers love?  EXPO Markers.  

I am partnering with EXPO to showcase their NEW Dry Erase Markers with Ink Indicator. It’s clear ink barrel lets you know howexactly much ink is left!  That way you can toss the marker BEFORE you are up at the board and grab a marker that is all dried out. #teacherfail

Did you know that you can write on classroom desks with dry erase EXPO markers and you can wipe erase the ink away, just like a whiteboard?! (disclaimer- test on a small area of your desks before you write on every surface and THEN realize it doesn't erase, lol) I particularly like the chisel tip because you can create three different lines and the six different colors brings some variety to each of the notes.

For special occasions I like to leave a note on the students' desks with EXPO markers.  This year I left each student a note to wish the good luck before we started testing.  My students get so nervous about state tests, so for them to find a little note in the morning helped set them at ease. 

You could also write on the desks:

-coming back from a holiday break

-the last day of school

-for a student's birthday

-responding to a question

-to encourage each other

-small group for math

I must say, their favorite part was writing messages to each other!  Each desk was full of positive notes!

Be sure to grab a pack of EXPO Dry Erase Markers with Ink Indicator markers on your next Target run! ;).  You can also grab them on Amazon and other places that sell EXPO markers as well!  Please note that I am partnering with EXPO and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Teacher Appreciation Tags

This year I decided to go with a fruit theme for Teacher Appreciation Week!  Target had adorable fruit keychains that inspired this idea.  These are most likely a seasonal item so you might not be able to find them, but you can attach this printable to anything pineapple, apple, or watermelon!

Starbucks has cute apple gift cards this month (and thank you Starbucks, the minimum balance you can load onto it is $10! lol). I decided to attach a gift card to my son's teacher.

You can find multiple phrases in the free printable pack!

Here are the tags I included:

It has been so SWEET working with you.

You are a SWEET teacher.

Thank you for being a SWEET student.

Thank you for being a SWEET volunteer.

Thank you for being a SWEET principal.

Thank you for being so SWEET.

STEM with Lakeshore

I am so excited to share with you that I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore Learning!  Over the next several months I am going to be sharing monthly Lakeshore products and this month I am featuring some of their STEM resources. 

First, what is STEM?  STEM stands for:

S- science

T- technology

E- engineering

M- math

The goal of STEM is to give the students the opportunity to interact with a challenge, project, or task that has some sort of real life application of those four disciplines.  On the teacher's end, this can take A LOT of prep and planning, but Lakeshore offeres some prep-free resources that you can purchase for your convenience.  Take a look at how I use these with my class!

Design and Play STEAM Boats Kit

I divided my class up into groups of 3 or 4 and they had to design a boat that could float.  They were all given the same amount of supplies, but they could design their boat however they wanted.  Before I gave them their supplies, they had to make a plan of how they were going to build their boat and what it would look like.  Once they all agreed, they could start building.

My students were COMPLETELY engaged as we tested each boat, and then "raced" them against each other, tournament style!  We are studying the Titanic right now, so we even added some blocks to the water to represent "icebergs."

Block and Blueprints Learning Center

I was impressed watching my students use their spatial reasoning skills to follow the blueprints to build a structure.  Some of them struggled at first, but it was really interesting how they eventually were able to figure it out.  I have been leaving this at the back of my classroom for "early finishers" to use when they are done with their work.

Family Engagement STEM Packs

I decided to use the Family Engagement Stem Packs IN my classroom instead of sending them home.  What's great is you can purchase the bundle, or buy each STEM challenge activity separately.  The supplies in the pack can be used over and over,  so it's perfect to use during centers or to send home as a family project.

Each STEM pack focuses on a specific career.  First, the students read a brochure that gives an overview of the career and STEM challenge.  After they read the brochure and challenge, they made a plan of how they were going to solve the problem at hand.

Once they make a plan, they TESTED it!  The foldables are dry-erase, so the students could edit their plan easily.

After they test it out, the students recorded their findings using prompts provided in the kit.  To rotate through each STEM kit, I separated my students into groups of 6 and we did one stem challenge a day.  They were OBSESSED!

To celebrate my new partnership with Lakeshore, I have a 20% off coupon code for all of you to use on any one (non sale) product!  Click HERE to grab your coupon! I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

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Mother's Day Gift Idea

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I have partnered with Pinhole Press to show you some of the custom Mother's Day gifts that I made for MY mom...annnnnnd myself. ;)

You may remember my Pinhole Press board books and puzzles that I made for Harry for Christmas, and I am proud to say that because of his little book, puzzle, and magnets, he can say ALL of our family members' names (including the pets, lol!)

This time, I hand picked some photos of my mom and Harry and made her a board book of the two of them.  I know she is going to cry when she sees this.  Now she can keep her own book at her house to read to him when he visits!

Along with the board book, I made her and my mother in law a "Love you to the moon and back" card.  You guys, these cards are WONDERFUL quality, and super affordable!

Here is the front of the card...

And this is the inside!

  I love that the front is just a large picture of my son, and the inside contains other full photo accompanied by really sweet text.  :).  This card is for MY mommy on Mother's Day. 

Of course I needed to make a Mommy and Me Board Book for myself as well...I mean it's FROM Harry...right?!?!

I decided to make a simple handprint craft for the grandmas as well!  I dipped my son's hand in red paint and pressed it onto the paper.  Then I used puffy paint to make the white seeds and green stem.  It would also be adorable if you used painted finger prints for the stem and seeds, but I took the easy route. ;)

Grab the "I love you Berry Much" free printable HERE!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there!