New GIVEAWAY!

Okay - I am giving Teachers Pay Teachers a try! I've always loved curriculum. Yes, weird thing to say but true!  I love clip art, post it notes, paper, pens, and planning lessons! So, I thought - why not try creating something for others as well?

I've made 2 things so far and I am trying not to compare my work to others. But for those of you that know me, you know that I am a bit of a perfectionist and it is hard when there are SO many TALENTED teachers out there!

This first one is tons of fun!  It is an interactive notebook to help students with new year goals. I usually have students create goals the beginning of a school year - but I know it's also important to revisit those goals and write new ones as needed.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Goals-Interactive-Notebook-2261009

My second product has to do with cursive writing. I love teaching cursive and to me it is not only a dying art, it is an important skill to learn. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Write-Draw-Think-2259323

This resource is wonderful because students not only practice cursive skills, they think about new words and draw a picture to match! 

I added a space for self reflection on each page. I've noticed that without it, students tend to work too quickly and not check over work. I hope this will help!

I need to get the word out there and what better way than to have a GIVEAWAY?  I will give away free copies of each packet to the winner. Please enter below and share with your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And - before I sign off - I want to let you know about a great new app to try!  Adobe Post! With Adobe Post, you can create "stunning social graphics in seconds".  This is a picture I created in seconds and uploaded to Instagram:

Yep, I love my coffee!

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Free Font!

I was "tinkering" today and created a free font for you! Feel free to download and use for personal, classroom, or commercial use. If using for commercial use, please send attribution and link back to this blog. Thanks and have fun!

Click here to download!

For attribution:

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Monday Made It - Crate and Chalk board!

Welcome, friends, once again to Monday Made It by 4th Grade Frolics! I get so inspired by all the talented teachers out there...thank you all!

My first project was finishing my crate bench. I love it!

We started with 3 crates purchased from Home Depot. Originally, I purchased cute colored teal crates from Target but my husband didn't think they would hold up. Yes, they were a little flimsy, but they were cute! He finally talked me into returning them and getting commercial crates. Yep. These are mighty sturdy!  My husband cut a board we had from the garage to place on the top for extra reinforcement.

Now, I was going to zip tie them together and he stopped me again. He came up with an ingenious way to place small boards underneath, the size of the inside of the box, so that when flipped over they actually create a snap lid!

I would NEVER have thought of that! Kuddos, dear hubby! He even routered the edges to make them smooth and rounded.

I found a pillow top the exact size at Target for $8. I don't even have to cover a cushion! Finally, I tied it on and added bows.

I went to Hobby Lobby this week looking for a straw dispenser - which they didn't have. But OH MY. So many cute things! This was my first time shopping in Hobby Lobby. Glad I didn't go sooner because I would have spent a fortune! 

I found this darling chalk board sign for my desk.

I googled "Welcome" and chalk board sign to find some styles I liked. I fount a cute Welcome font and tried to write it out with my new chalk board pencils. I like it!

I think it will look darling on my desk. I added my name to the front of the desk using SchoolGirlStyle's banner. 

My final project was to create a READ block sign. I found the letters on sale 50% off at Hobby Lobby. They cost 50 cents each!

I chose 4 different scrap paper patterns. 

Next I traced the letter on the paper and cut them out to fit.

Put a little Modge Podge on the letter...

Then add the paper and Modge Podge over the top of all of it!

Let dry, and you are done! Easy peasy! :)

FINALLY - 

I even finished off a VistaPrint order. Honestly, I hadn't ordered any VistaPrint for a few years because I could never find the deals like I use to. But I had a 50% off come in the mail and so I snatched it up.

These are business card size. I can staple to their work or hand out as needed. 

I love using this at conference time! Parents write their questions on the back.

This is for sending home positive notes!

We even made time this week for ourselves! We had a great one night trip to Mendocino with our MTBs. Ahhhhh. Fun! Due to the CA fires, our drive home was almost 6 hours with the highway closed. But, we had a great time!

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Monday Made It!

It's time for Monday Made It again and I am having so much fun looking at everyone's posts and creations! Wow. Talented people, that's all I can say!

I don't know about you - but some times it makes me feel inadequate. I get the case of keeping up with the Jones'-- teacher style. This is the time I need to step back, relax, and realize that I do not have to be perfect; I don't have to do it all; I just need to be content and be me. My students don't need "things" - they need a loving teacher who is helping them be all they can be. 

I started working on my table group supplies. I bought the bins at Dollar Tree and then printed and laminated the labels. I bought some cute polka dot ribbon to tie the labels on. (I taped them in place as well!)

The second thing I worked on was an organization station for all my "tiny" supplies. Honestly, I saw everyone else's and decided I would try one as well. I ordered it from Amazon but if I had to do it over, I would have bought one at Home Depot. When it came it was much smaller than I had envisioned.  I used scrap book paper for the black/white, then typed out the words on colored paper. The labels are modge-podged on to the organizer. I must say it will come in handy! 

I use to award my table groups with a popsicle party for every 10 "wins". But that got expensive and I was tired of always buying treats. I also don't think it's necessary. This year I created a "trophy" that I will award weekly to the winning table group. They can keep it on their desk for the week.  I just created it in PowerPoint, printed, and laminated. I got the large clip at Michael's for $1.50 in their bins by the check out! Easy!

I also printed out signs from Teacher's Pay Teachers. I tried to hang them up in the classroom - but it was white on white and they didn't show up enough. So I ended up mounting them on scrapbook paper, then colored paper! 

I bought this from IKEA and added pockets for formative assessment. Each student has a numbered stick to place his/her vote.

I got these from Miss Nelson / Teachers Pay Teachers HERE.  It's a free download! 

I am working on a crate/bench and it is turning out great, thanks to my hubby! He devised an awesome way to make it sturdy by placing a board on top and creatively creating an underneath section that snaps on to the crates. I was just going to do the zip-tie thing. :)  Pictures will be coming!

I've been working so hard, I decided to do something for myself. I signed up for Stichfix! I don't like shopping, and need some new clothes for work. I'm testing it out with my first box arriving the week before school starts. CLICK here to learn more about Stichfix. I can't tell you yet whether I like it or not, but I am giving it a try!

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Monday Made It!

Well, I really feel like I can't believe it's Monday already and I haven't really made it.  I have so many ideas spinning around in my head from reading all the great blogs on Monday Made It and Pinterest.

This week I mainly worked in my classroom. After thinking through all the colors and themes in my head, I wanted to go with blue, lime green, and white. I have no idea why I bought bright pink border and masking tape. What was I thinking? But I did, so I guess my colors scheme will have to wait until next year!

I sold all my previous school items, so I had to buy a new bin for students to turn in work. I got a great deal on this one from Michael's and then made little tags for the sides.

This classroom doesn't have a real teacher's desk so I have to bring mine from home. Luckily, I purchased an old one three years ago on Craig's List for $30. I repainted it white and added contact paper to the front for the black and white pattern. 

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