Thursday, May 31, 2012

YAY! WE ARE A FINALIST!

In my previous post I had talked about the project we had finished for the "Have Fun with ACER" competition.



Now I am asking for your help.

My classroom is a finalist in a competition to win 30 ACER tablets for our classroom (I am working hard to get technology in my class). The competition had teachers submit projects that had something to do with the letters A.C.E.R. My classroom worked hard in this video, and are extremely proud of themselves. One of the funniest things was to see their ideas of what each thing meant, doing research, and most importantly working together. They used an iPad, flip camera, iPhone, and digital camera to gather everything needed to create the video.

Please vote from every email you have, but only once from each. If you can and would like please share it with others. My class will be working hard to get votes for the one thing they are proud of accomplishing. : )



Thank you in advance, our class project is Saving Our Planet:.















Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saving the Planet

As a project and part of a competition, I challenged my students to come up with an ideas for our unit. We had been studying and starting a recycling program in our school so I figured that we would do a video about that.
Part of the contest was to use the letters  A C E R as part of our final product we decided to go with Appreciate Nature, Conserve Resources, Environment Safety, and R³ for reduce reuse and recycle. My students were then split into groups and were responsible for thinking of how to show a message for their concept using technology. They could use an iPad, flip camera, or a regular camera to complete their part. I then put it together using Windows Movie Maker.

Here is our final product:

You Tube:



TeacherTube (since many school's can't use YouTube at school):


My students had so much fun thinking about their ideas and actually realizing them. They are extremely proud of their work and I am amazed with how quickly they learned to use the devices and to be creative. Now they have not only learned the concept but they have also internalized it, as they are constantly conserving our planet at school. : )

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mother's Day Projects

Projects that we have done in my classroom for our wonderful Smartie Mommies:
Mommy's Recipe Book:

Front Cover

My students enjoyed making this project for their wonderful mommies. This book has a semi hard cover with a beautiful design choosen by the child.  Inside of the book there is a variety of different recipes that the students cant ry out with their mom's.

Where did I get the recipes?
We have a nutrition program in our school where teachers teach different nutrition lessons and at the end of each month turn in the number of minutes spent teaching the nutrition concepts. I save them throughout the entire year and use then during our Mother's Day season.

How to create one? It is Easy!
You Need per book: 
1- 9 1/2 X 9 1/2 Scrapbook Page (Design)
7- 8/12 X 8 3/4 plain paper (can be colors)
1- 30'' ribbon or in my case I used yarn
2- 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 ceral box card board 
Liuid Glue

Steps: 
1. Fold the scrapbook paper in half. 
2. Open the scrapbook paper and glue the cereal box to the paper with a little spcae in the middle (I use a small popsickle stick so that the students leave enough space). 
3. Cut the corners of the scrapbook paper to make it easier to fold over. (the corner of the paper starting at the corner of the cereal box). 
4. Fold the sides and glue on the other side of the carbord to cover it up. 
5. On the opposite side of the scrapbook paper make a line of liquid glue and place the ribbon or yarn diagnolly across the book. (Do not worry if it does not glue all the way or if there is extra glue around it). 
6.  Glue a plain page to the top of the cardbord (the side with the string). Be careful to not go crazy with the glue as it may show. spread out the page to make it flat and get rid of bubbles.
7. Cut off any extra plain paper from the cover.
8. Take the 6 plain pages and fold them hamberger style like a book.
9. Glue or write recipes on the pages.
10. Using a book stapler (long one) staple in the recipe pages with the cover (Staple on the extra space between the cardboard).

After and Before Picture
Mother's Day R³ Bag

Using a reusable bag that was also part of the nutrition program I hot glued a piece of fabric to cover the logo and create a wonderful gift bag that mas multiple of uses.








Feel Good Flower Book:

This project was a lot more challenging than the rest, and it requires a lot of patience and time.

This was a bit difficult challenge but it is well worth it at the end. When the book is closed it looks like a small square. When it opens up a nice flower pops ups. Each individual section of the book looks like a flower. When the book is tied cover to cover it makes a great ornament.



What you Need for each book:
2- 2 X 2 card board or cereal box.
2- 3 X 3 scrapbook page
5- 3 3/4X 3 3/4 construction paper.
1- 17'' ribbon or yarn
Liquid Glue
PATIENCE




How to create the book:
1. Glue the cardboard on the back of the scrapbook piece of paper.
2. Cut the corners of the scrapbook up to the cardboard.
3. Fold the scrapbook over and glue to wrap the scrapbook on the cardbord. I usually put them under a heavy book at this time to dry and to make the paper stay.
4. Fold the 5 pieces of paper.
  *Fold one piece of paper at a time.
  *Fold hotdog
  *Fold hamburger, the open the square.
  *Fold into a triangle, then open the page.
  *The squares with the crease the crease folds in to create a mouth looking 
    things (look at the pictures).
My picture is opposite of what it
should look but I am just showing
what it should look like. 
5. Glue all of the folded papers on top of each other. Make sure that they are all the same direction. I like to say that the tip (only 1 fold) is the bottom of my paper and all of those have to be together.
6.Cut around the stack (except the bottom) to make a design like a flower. 
7. Place your cardboard with the scrapbook page face down. Put the sqaures tip to tip to look like two diamonds.
8. Glue the ribbon across the center of the two diamonds. The ribbon will be used to connect the diamonds and make it into a book.
 9. Glue the flower ends to the cardboard.
10. Let it dry.
The famous Scrapbook Corner
Cutting that you will need for both
projects. 

I realize that my instructions may be a bit difficult to understand. I am so sorry but I tried explaining the best I could. If you have any questions please feel free to comment and I will answer.

I will try my best to work on a video to show you how to make at least the flower book.
: ) Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day. 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

PLEASE VOTE!!

Calling Everyone Who Reads my Blog:

Please vote for me to win some money and document camera. : ) You do not need to become a member to vote, only if you wish to, and the only email you will receive is a confirmation email about your vote.

Vote 1:

Dictionary Expert



 http://www.weareteachers.com/teaching-ideas/grant/teaching-idea?app=25234&grantId=98







Vote 2:

3 R's
 http://www.weareteachers.com/teaching-ideas/grant/teaching-idea?app=25232&grantId=99

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

YAY!!!

Finally an exciting day I wait for every year, as I think I enjoy it more than the students. WORD GIRL COMPETITION provided by Scholastic. The contestants did a fabulous job and the best part of all was when they announced the viewer winner. MY CLASS. You need to check out how they had a difficult time saying my last name, but the presenter did a wonderful job pronouncing it. : )
They announce the winner at 26 min.


Even if we did not happen to win like the past 3 years my students always enjoy the competition as they try to answer the questions with the actual contestants.