Back to School Projects and Purchases!

I decided NOT to go in to school today.  After completing the organizing phase of my classroom yesterday, my brain started going in about 100 different directions.  I decided that I needed to go shopping for craft supplies to work on Pinterest inspired projects.  Ironically, I didn't end up working on ANY Pinterest projects today, because while I was out shopping, I hit the jackpot!  I came up with my own little ideas instead, and I couldn't wait to put them together to test drive them!  :)

First, I'd like to show you my newest word work idea!  I found foam counting blocks at the ever fabulous Dollar Tree, and I immediately knew what I wanted to do!  I just started writing letters on each side with Sharpie, and viola!  Letter cubes that can be manipulated to make words.  Easy!

The next picture isn't really a project, per se, but I LOVE these magnets!  I found them at Target, and I love how they look like ransom notes and magazine lettering!  I always wanted to have kiddos cut letters out of magazines to spell words at school, but I had no idea how to keep my magazine supply nice and plump.  Now I don't even have to worry about it.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!

While I'm off-topic and blabbing on and on about Target, let's take a looksie at another purchase, shall we?  I saw a cute pin for listening ears a while ago from Jennifer Jones.  (LOVE her!)   When I saw this headband in the party aisle, I knew I had to have it!  Yes, even third graders love to see their teachers act silly, and I totally plan on making the listening ears as a beginning of the year craftivity when I lay the groundwork for Reader's Workshop and active listening!  Check out my listening ears!

I found these mini-tools at the Dollar Tree, so I added them to my metacognition tool belts for  some extra flare and support during small group work!  :) Again, I use this with my metacognition tool kit
and Cindy Gilchrist's Toolbox of Strategies!  I also plan to use it with this fabulous free resource for synthesizing from Ms. Smarty Pants!

I love the little wooden critters they have at Pat Catans, and I know that there have been a lot of posts in the past about how to use them to create pointers, but I decided to make a "Brainstorm Box" instead.  Since they were 50 cents or less, I picked up a TON.  I wanted to have a concrete way for kids to think about topics to write about when they are feeling stuck, and I can't wait to use this with my kiddos! :)  I'm hoping it will be a fun way to spark idea generation!  You can pick up the label HERE if you think you can try this with your kiddos!

*Note: Pat Catans is a craft store.  :)  I didn't even think about it being a regional chain.  They are all over Ohio and Pennsylvania!  It's basically like a Hobby Lobby or Michael's. 

While I was at Pat Catans (our craft store), I also picked up several costumes/vests.  Even if you don't have a Pat Catans nearby, you could probably find them at your local craft store.  They are by Darice, and I am pretty sure that's a fairly large company.  I see their stuff all over the place.  Anyway,  I have passed the vests by so many times, and I always think, "Oh, that's cute, but that's too primary."  Seriously, I am such a primary teacher at heart, because I LOVE cutesy activities, and truly, third graders eat it up with a spoon.  Today, when I passed the vests, I was practically struck by lightning.  Maybe it was because of the brainstorm box idea.  Maybe having all of the wooden critters in my cart struck a nerve of some sort.  Whatever the reason, I realized how much fun it would be to put them in a center to practice reading with voice and showing point of view.  The vests were less than $2.00 each, so I couldn't pass them up.  Hi, my name is Amanda, and I am a teacher hoarder! ;)  You can download the label for this tub HERE, if you're interested!  I'd love to hear what you think! 

I think that this tub will be a HUGE complement to my Talking the Talk cards, and I cannot wait to launch all of these fun lessons this upcoming school year!  (Although, truthfully, I am not about to wish away the rest of my summer just yet!  I still have LOTS of projects to finish!)  

Lastly, before I throw in the blogging towel to spend a little bit of QT with my cutie on our official anniversary, and before I go on another blogging hiatus to spend some time with the in-laws, I want to share one last photograph of props too good to pass up!  I am so excited about my new chef hat that I'll be using with Cara's Cooking Up Compound Words bundle to review with my kiddos.  I might even break it out to do some Synonym Roll activities since the OAA puts a lot of weight on synonyms and antonyms.  So cute!  :)  Also, I picked up this cute surgical cap and mask for our contraction surgery later in the year.  I even picked up neon band-aids.  Friends, I am BEYOND READY for some rigor, relevance, and straight-up F-U-N!  :)  Have a fab week!  I'll be back soon-ish!  I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please babble away.  Do you have any other ideas for my goodies?  Any extensions?  Inquiring minds want to know!!!!