Dollar Stores ROCK + Freebie!

Every teacher I've ever met loves a good dollar store. I am no exception!
At my favorite one dolla' hot spot there's an ENTIRE ISLE full of teaching goodies! Check out all I scored today ---------------->

Flashcards, pencil boxes (check out what I'm using those for below), play checkbooks, bulletin board accents, POLICE BADGES (stay tuned for how I'm going to use these... an idea is brewing!), coupons, and lots and lots of little trophies. I'm incorporating a TON of positive reward systems in my classroom next year and my idea for the trophies is to have the students display them on their desks as they're earned. I bought some that say "Way to Go", a lot that say "Star Student" which I'll use for my Student of the Week (scroll down for a Student of the Week Freebie!), and a couple packs of blank trophies so I can write in a specific praises! So excited!

Back to the pencil boxes-- My last post was about my newfound love for Modge Podge. I used that sweet goo to make .....(drum roll)... MORE LETTER TILES! Except these are LETTER CIRCLES! And they're soooo PRETTY! Don't you agree?

The letter circles fit so nicely into my slide-in&out-and-snap-close pencil box. Added bouns: they match perfectly! Yet another added bonus: total cost was $2.50! Woohoo!

Now I have to find pink stones for my pink pencil box.....

I promised a Freebie so here it is -

Just click the pic and it will take you to my Teachers Pay Teachers store! 

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!