Funny Face Pumpkins

Is it only Monday, wow I am already exhausted! Tonight was a fun day filled with pumpkins!

After I saw this pin on Pinterest, I knew I had to make these pumpkins, they are just too adorable!

via Art Projects for Kids

I also found a great bulletin board image with these pumpkins that can be found at flickr {HERE}.
**Sidenote** If you are in need of art projects you must check out Art Projects for Kids. It is an amazing resource and a quick browse showed me a ton of fun Halloween projects that I already want to plan!

Frames via Graphics From the Pond

Rather than do a marble paint, I had the kids use orange, green and yellow watercolors and they turned out so adorable. Since we did only a thin layer of paint, they dried fast and we were able to use construction paper to add our eyes, mouths, teeth, stem and grass.

I love projects like this where you give all the kids the same materials and the originality that they come up with is amazing!

By the way, I always see people apologizing for the quality of the iPhone pictures . . . um, I apologize for my camera pictures. I would say that apparently I need to invest in a good quality camera but I am the worst photographer, so give me any camera and the picture will always turn out blurry, grainy and probably crooked!

A Back to School Activity & a Freebie!

So I've been thinking about some fun back to school activities, so I thought I'd share one I saw online. I don't know about you but in my district, we get our old students back for a few days, while new classes are being sorted out, so we've got to have some activities to keep them busy, until they head off to their new classrooms.

It's always fun to have the students reflect/write/draw/share about their summer vacation.

via Kids Artists

I saw this picture from Kids Artists on Pinterest and it reminded me of an activity I did. Provide students with an outline of a pair of sunglasses and have them draw two events from their summer vacation. Put them up with a catchy slogan and you have a fun back to school bulletin board.

To go with this, I came up with a little writing activity. Have the students write a letter (to a friend, parent, teacher etc.) about their summer vacation. Click on any of the pictures below to download the free activity.

I've also finally finished my Back to School Daily Math for 1st Grade, click on the picture to check that out if you're interested.

This pack follows the same pattern as my other Daily Math units with each day consisting of 5 questions that review various Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Now off to work on the Fall set!

What's your go-to back to school activity? Leave me a comment below!

Creative Bulletin Board Ideas

Well I guess it's creeping closer to that time . . . Back to School Time! I cannot believe I am already saying that. I've had school on my mind all Summer, but to actually be thinking it's coming in just over a month seems way too fast. Where has my time been spent? Oh yeah, sleeping late, reading in the sunshine and eating too much chocolate! Wow, it sure has been nice.

So I've been thinking about bulletin boards. I will probably be starting in a Kindergarten class in the Fall and I am a little worried about all the cutesy craft/art stuff. I love the look of it, but I am just not that creative. Enter Pinterest, the modern teacher's best friend!

This crayon bulletin board looks so fun and perfect for kindergarten, but could I pull of making that crayon box? (I tried to find the source for this pin, but could not. Let me know if you know where it's from).

Love the bright look of this puzzle bulletin board. You could have each student write (and decorate?) their piece and then put their school picture on it. Again, I could not find the link back to where this originated, so if know, please tell me so I can provide proper credit.

These owls (and all the variations I've seen around Pinterest) are too cute!

Rainbows Within Reach has a ton of ideas, not sure just limited to Back to School ideas.

If you're are looking for some classroom decor, I've finally finished and bundled all of my decor packs, click the images if you'd like to check them out:

What does your bulletin board look like at the beginning of the year?