Keeping Up With Kirbys

Well, today I'm moving in all my crafts that I have spent making this summer. I'm excited to share my latest Monday Made-its with you and I'm excited to get them in the classroom.   This might be my FAVORITE! I was telling my friend how I would LOVE to find an old desk to use as a child's teacher helper desk OR star student desk. She said "I have one that you can have." WHA?! I couldn't wait to get it home and bust out the spray paint.   Because of the different areas and different colors, I had to use a lot of tape and it had to be done in phases. After I Josh sprayed painted the desk I needed to find the right font for the chalkboard top.   I decided to use SK Cinderella and printed it off as large as I could one sheet of paper.  I colored the back with chalk, taped it to the front of the desk, and traced the letters with a pencil. When the paper was pulled off it left a chalk outline that I then painted in with a permanent chalk pen.

W hile I wait patiently for the wax to do its school floor magic I continue to plan procrastinate. <-truth Each week at my school we spend about 20 minutes completing what we call R time activities. This time is used to build classroom/school community, respect for others, respect for property, and learn to work cooperatively with a partner or group. We sing a song, find a partner, shake their hand, look at them while speaking in complete sentences, and work together on an assignment or a mission.  I've created partner match-up cards for the first nine weeks of school to help students find a partner while reviewing a previously taught skill. These cards are quickly passed out and the students find their match to determine who they will be working with. Our very first back to school R-time activity will be to Find a Friend... First, they will look for a friend that fits their card AND th ey must also match that friend's card.  It will create discussion amo