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A Teacher's Guide to Summer Break

Finally a break....

Is it just me or does anyone else have such a hard time adjusting to summer break? The school year is full of data, lesson planning, SLOs, committees, teaching, behavior, meetings, and more. And then.......NOTHING.

Don't get me wrong, summer break is AWESOME, but transitioning from busy, busy, busy to nada is tough.

So, I developed this guide to help you with your summer break.

1. NAP

Rest and learn how to do nothing. You need it. Recharge. Turn off the lights and electronics. Invest in blackout curtains. Get a face mask. If you need to, get some earplugs. JUST NAP WHILE YOU CAN.

2. SWIM

Get outside and swim or just lay on a raft in a pool. Vitamin C helps us all and I don't know about you, but Pennsylvanians lack Vitamin C in the Winter. Just being in the sun and water cheers me up and relaxes me.

3. BINGE WATCH A SHOW

During the school year, I have to DVR all of my shows and rarely get to catch up on them all. I watch them at night or on the weekends if I can. Take this time off to watch whatever the heck you can and relax.

4. EAT ICE CREAM

Look online and find the best Ice Cream Parlor's around your city. We recently just found one and now we are obsessed. It's amazing how happy ice cream makes you and it's fun to discover new places.

5. JOIN A GYM

I guess it makes sense to add this one after my "eat ice cream" "lay around all day and do nothing" posts. Working out helps you relax, build confidence, and reduce stress. The great thing about some gyms is that they sometimes offer childcare! Get some "me" time in!

6. GO ON A VACATION

Life is short. Get out there and go somewhere! Even if it is for a day or overnight. Experiences are way better than spending money on "things".

7. READ SOME BOOKS

Find some great books and read them. Just relax and get lost in your book.

8. DEBATE DOING THE OTHER 500 THINGS YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO THIS SUMMER

I know you do this too! I used to bring home tons of school stuff with the intention to get something done this summer for work. This summer, I didn't bring home anything, except my laminator. It is summer break. This is the time for ME to recharge and relax. I also say that I will paint rooms in my house, organize the laundry room, redo my kitchen....NOPE. NOT. HAPPENING. SORRY....

Teacher Deals Roundup

Get this teacher lanyard with badge holder for $6.61! Other colors available! Love this! Use this link to check it out. Code: 50GH6Y16

Get this HDMI to VGA Adapter for only $4.23! Use this link to check it out. Code: 506TXT6J

Get this highlighter, sticky notes, and pen set for only $8.06! Use this link to check it out. Code: 60IBHHHQ

It is warming up out there! Get this desk fan for only $10.18! Use this link and check it out. Code:60BK6WI5

Stay tuned friends! I will be posting more deals as much as I can! For now, go shopping! 

Teacher Clothes Deals

I am going to be branching out here and there and posting some teacher clothes deals from Amazon! Here are some that I found today:

Get some of these dresses or shirts for as low as $14.10 with code 7OA584EA. Use this link to see all items included in this deal!

Other items are as low as $8.70!!!


Click here to check these deals out.

Plan a Lemonade War

How many of you read Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies? Omg it is such a great book to read towards the end of the school year. I bought the audiobook from Audible and I usually will play one chapter a day right after recess. My students love it. The discussion and topics that go along with this novel is awesome! It is so fun to hear the kids talk about their siblings and how they relate to the characters in the book.

I found a really cool Lemonade War Packet to discuss the book with my students. There are a ton out there for free. We do fun crafts and activities, like make your own lemonade sign, make a list of items you would use to make your own lemonade, and artwork with lemons.

Students LOVE this! They look forward to fourth grade because of this event every year. I have been doing this for over  6 years now and will continue to do it as long as I can. They love the competition and it is hilarious to see what they do each year. One year, I had students make shirts! Another year, kids wore leis. Last year, I had students bring fresh fruit to blend and decorated their cups with umbrellas! The fruit lemonade was FANTASTIC. My favorite one was watermelon lemonade.

Two weeks before our Lemonade War, we select our groups. Students can work in groups of 4-5. They need one parent for each group to supervise them. They are told that they will be competing against each other to make the best-tasting lemonade. They are given some time in class to collaborate with the group and plan who will bring in each item and a letter is sent home to parents.

The lemonade must be homemade! No mixes or flavor drops allowed!

Students are given a list of rules and items that they need to bring in.

Here are the rules:

1. Everyone must be contributing.
2. Every group needs to bring in a tablecloth.
3. Bring in enough dixie cups for each student in the class.
4. You need three judge cups. Don't forget "presentation is key".
5. No knives are allowed in school. All lemons must be cut prior to bringing them into school.
6. No flavor drops permitted or "mixes".









Students are instructed to bring in enough dixie cups so that everyone can sample each other's lemonade. They love this part!

I select three judges. Usually I choose one classroom teacher, one special area teacher, and the principal.

The morning of the Lemonade War, students get into their groups and I project this PowerPoint. I project the groups with their group numbers, the rules and procedures, and the winning teams.

Each group is given a number. When the judges are given their cups, they have a group number written on them. That is how the judges vote for their favorite lemonade. They put a check next to the group number that they think made the best lemonade, fold the paper, and bring it down to my class. It is cool to see how they present their cups. This group brought stickers in and colored straws to "jazz" up their cups!

I total the votes and fill in the PowerPoint. The class awaits the final vote! Then the number one group wins a treat. I have given Lemonheads, Lemon Italian Ice, and other lemon treats to the winning team.

I teach two classes, so we compete against each other too! There is a first place winner in my homeroom and a first place winner in my teaching partner's homeroom. We have another judge pick the best out of the two. So far, my class holds the LEMONADE WAR TITLE!

I wonder how it will go this year...

Plan a Math Carnival

So, I was lying in bed one night and my mind kept racing..."How could I make math test prep FUN?"  "What could I do to replace the repetitive habit of assigning sampler after sampler for preparing for our state standardized tests?" Then it hit me! A MATH CARNIVAL!!!

So, I decided that I would make this vision come to life. 

It took A LOT OF PLANNING. And that is the truth!

I had no idea where to start. All I knew is how I wanted it to look. I wanted streamers, colors, food, and games. Not lame games. I wanted REAL CARNIVAL GAMES!

I emailed my principal and told him that I wanted to have a carnival. I swear he probably thinks I am CRAY CRAY! I am haha. When I dream of something, I dream big and I make it happen...

If you want to make your own carnival and save the time of planning, keep reading! It is a blast!

Download my 11-page Math Carnival: Getting Started Guide to begin your journey! 

Here is your shopping list! There are ways around this though. My guide explains it all.

You have to decide how many games you want and what skills will be assessed for each game. You can make signs like these below or get them with my bundle already made. Plus they are editable too!

You also need task cards for each game. You can buy task cards, make up questions for each game, or find them online free. My bundle has all of the questions that you need for a 4th grade carnival. I used numbers to place on the games. Those numbers corresponded with the question asked or the amount of tickets won!

Here are some of the games that I had at my carnival:

Notice that I used table cloths for the tables. Also, I want to point out that at each game I placed a dry erase board, marker, and eraser so that the kids can work on the questions asked. Next, I want to show you the bags that I used. I made up bags with parent directions, task cards, an answer key, and a bag of tickets torn out already.

The directions make it easy for parent volunteers to know how to run each station at the math carnival. The answers are included so that the parents don't have to think at all. I just want it to be enjoyable for everyone. Also, I had about 100 tickets in a small baggie. This is for the kids to win as they play the games. 

I also made groups up with about 2-3 students each and created a schedule for my kiddos to use on the day of the carnival so that they knew exactly what game they were supposed to be playing at designated times. The schedule and the group pages are included in my bundle, but you could make your own too if you want!

Next, I made a map of my room. I decided where I wanted the games to be.

I contacted selected a date before state testing and contacted my parents, asking for volunteers. I mentioned needing a popcorn machine and/or cotton candy maker. Of course, some people had them! EXCITING!

The prize table was a bit tricky. I needed to decide how many tickets each prize would be. I also needed to get some prizes. I bought prizes, but you could make prizes. You could use homework passes or reward tickets, whatever you want! It doesn't have to cost a lot! So, I made ticket cards for the table. 

I had my students help me decide how many tickets each prize would be worth. It was pretty funny hearing them work as a class to decide! Then, they started to realize that if they made a prize that they wanted worth 1 ticket, they may not be able to win one because they would be gone quick! So smart!

So, decide if you want to try this! You could make a reading carnival, science carnival, social studies carnival! Hopefully this guide helps you get started and helps you plan out a fun and exciting learning experience for your kids! 

If you want to save time and do not want to make the instructions, map, schedule, signs, ticket labels, task cards, or number templates, then click here to purchase my bundle.

Word Problems in Math: Best Game Ever!

Word Problems in Math Game

Students dread solving word problems in math!

At least my kiddos do...

I have this product, that I made, and I have been trying to think of a way to make problem-solving FUN.

So, I searched and searched...

Trashketball was a suggestion somewhere. So, I thought "Ok this could be fun, but I need to change it up".

I LOVE adding twists to games. It keeps the kids guessing and I feel like they get more excited when they are competing against eachother.

So, I created Trash Math! (My kids named it...)

Here is how you play:

1. Print out these signs.

2. Laminate the signs so that you can use them over and over again and change up the number. Attach the signs to a garbage can. Set them up however you'd like!

3. Use a worksheet with word problems. Here is the link to my product, but use whatever you want!

4. Students complete the worksheet and come up to you to get it checked. If they get them all right, they move on to the next step. If they miss any, they have to go back to their seat and make corrections.

5. Once they get every problem correct, they get to crinkle up their worksheet into a ball.

6. They roll a dice. Here is a link to a virtual dice if you want to use it!

7. They can either keep those points or "risk" their points by tossing their crinkled worksheet into one of the trash cans with the signs.

8. They have to multiply by the number on the sign if they make the shot. If they miss the shot, they lose their points for that round. (one worksheet per round)

9. Have students record their points next to their name on the board.

EXAMPLE: Student gets all questions correct. He rolls the dice and gets a 5. He decides to risk his points by wrinkling up the worksheet into a ball and tosses it into the front trash can labeled "multiply by 3". Now he has 15 points and records his name and 15 on the board for all to see and compete against.

This game is super fun and my students loved solving word problems this way. I have never seen them so excited and engaged when solving word problems in math. You HAVE to try this!