Teacher Craftiness & A Giant Ruler!!

Today was most excellent. Two of my friends (and fellow teachers) came over to my casa for "Teacher Craft Day."

We made homework lottery tickets, file folders for centers, word work, math stations, homework "Black Book"s, Mr. Potato Head pieces for positive behavior (class compliment = piece on Mr. PH.  Once he's all made up we celebrate!) and A GIANT RULER!!

The ruler idea came from my awesome friend, Rachel A. She was inspired by a church sermon! A teacher's brain never quits. Lol. You can't tell from the pic but each "inch" is actually a foot.  Measurement is hard for kiddos to grasp, so a giant visual for measuring inches, half inches and quarter inches is going to be great!!  GO RACHEL!

Other craft ideas came from Pinterest (where else?!) and Tara at 4thGradeFrolics. CHECK OUT HER BLOG TODAY! She is a teaching/creating genius!!

Modge Podge... Swoon!

Modge Podge. Ohmigosh HOW have I not ever used this amazing goo for crafts?! 

Wait--- Story first, Modge Podge craft second. 

STORY: Last school year I was self-contained... I taught every subject as well as prepared my 4th graders for THREE state tests: Reading, Writing and Math. Come August I'll be teaming (YAY) so I'll be teaching Math (woohoo!), Science and Writing (EEK!). Why the EEK? Well, this year I really enjoyed teaching math and creating awesome lessons & centers... I did not do that / feel that for writing.  However, I WILL remedy that for the upcoming year so this summer I'm brainstorming, reading and creating TONS of word work. And word work needs letters!

CRAFT: Check out these little letter tile beauts I made over the weekend...

Found at Michaels Store

- Alphabet Stickers (6 sheets!) $2.99

- Glass Tiles (on sale) $2.49

Found at Target (Dollar Bin) 

- "Cash Box"$1.00

I had enough stickers to put letters on each side of the glass tile. Woot! Then I Modge Podge'd those babies on (I am SOSOSO impressed that it dries clear and now my little angles won't be able to pick off those enticing stickers!), put them in my "cash box" (looks more like a pencil box?) and voila! Pretty letters for word work! 

The activity possibilities for these letter tiles are endless.... high frequency words, vocabulary words, weekly spelling words, ___(add your word activity here)____....

Word Work Inspiration?? This Lady!