11 Ways To Use Duct Tape In Your Classroom Like the MacGyver of Teaching

So if you were born before the '90's, you're probably familiar with the T.V. show MacGyver. The one where the main character, MacGyver, could get anyone out of any predicament, usually by using duct tape in some way.

Remember this guy? He worked wonders.

Well, I like to think of teachers as their own kind of MacGyver. Teachers are the most genius people on the planet when it comes to using simple, household items to perform a different task than what they were initially intended for. I mean, we're working with REALLY, REALLY limited budgets here. Can I get a hell yeah?

Credit: We Are Teachers

I decided to collect all the genius ideas I was able to find on the good 'ole trusty interwebs via different blogs and Pinterest. Here is a collection of all the genius, MacGyvery ways to use handy, dandy duct tape in your classroom. I tried to do my research to the best of my ability to find the original posts so that I could give credit.

Decoration Purposes

Look at this cute clipboard that a fellow blogger, Marie, made for her classroom. I'm a sucker for animal prints.

Taken from The Hands-On Teacher
See her original blog post

Another option is to change out your students' desks. This would especially be good if yours have some fugly colors. I love what Jodi did with hers. It would especially be great if you have a themed classroom and could find some that matched your theme. Side note: She had a great tip that vegetable oil or vinegar helps take off any messy residue left over after taking duct tape off of things!

Taken from The Clutter-Free Classroom
See her post here

Organizational Purposes

Ok, now, this next one made me do one of those head slap moments like when you say to yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?"

I work currently in three different private schools, but I am hired by a public school agency... it's confusing, I won't get into it. Anyway, I use www.readinga-z.com A LOT! When I came across this idea on Pinterest my heart grew three sizes just like the Grinch! I am SOOO doing this. 

Taken from Wicked Fun in First Grade
See her original post here

She used different duct tape to organize all of her books by level. Looooooove. Then she added the same tape to a bin so that kids could easily put them back in the right bin. Not only does it help organize the books, but it helps keep them together better since they are printed. Genius.

To go along the same idea, use duct tape to organize different subject notebooks and folders. This is something that would be very easy for students to do to help keep their lockers, desks or cubbies organized. Everything is color coded. The red notebook and red folder are for reading. The green notebook and green folder are for math, etc. Easy peasy.

Taken from Cleverly Inspired
See her original post here

Also very similar, instead of plain ole colors, jazz up your reading groups with duct tape patterns like Tara West.

Taken from Little Minds at Work
See her original post here

Here's another GENIUS idea. Tape a large straw (think milkshake straws) to students' desks so that they can keep their pencil inside when not using it to help with all of the "I can't find my pencil!" complaints.

Couldn't find original post. Let me know if you find it.

Another idea for pencils is to wrap some of the duct tape around the pencil to show which are yours to help students to return them. (We can wish, right?)

Couldn't find original post. Let me know if you find it.

Misc. Uses

Some children don't understand what "personal space" means. I've seen teacher do this as well around their teacher desk to show a "No Children" boundary for little ones. The blog that I found this on was for Special Ed., so this would work great for kids who are autistic and need that visual reminder of where they need to stay. 

Taken from A Special Sparkle
See the original post here

I've always wanted to make these for my classrooms. I am a reading specialist, so I'm constantly working on letter sounds and phonics related activities. I need to get my butt in gear with these pronto! (The duct tape is just decorative pretty much)

Taken from Make Take Teach
See the original post here

I recently went to a conference where I received a TON of great ideas and tips (which is going to be a WHOLE other blog post that I'm going to do soon) but this was one of them. I'm thinking of having kids make these as well so that we can organize their things in the classrooms. This would also work great with the previous idea of labeling folders for reading groups.

Taken from Classroom DIY
See the original post here

So here is a good idea for all of your summer beverage holders. These would work great if you had students' desks in groups or at a center to organize materials. So, get to drinking!

Taken from Classroom DIY
See the original post here

I hope this post helped to inspire you. I'm sure that you've seen all the different kinds of duct tape that have been out now for a few years. I've found them at pretty much any store from Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Target, Wal-Mart, Michaels, Jo Ann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, etc. 

If you have made anything for your classroom with duct tape or use one of these ideas to make something, please leave a comment and a picture below. I'd LOVE to see it!

Top 5 Classic Children's Books

So what makes a book a classic?

For me to considered a classic, a book needs to have three things: lovable characters, ideas and a story that transcends time, a likability to it that lends itself to be read over and over again and it never gets old or boring.

If you've read my other posts in this blog hop (which I've loved being involved in... need to do it again Katie!) you know that I'm a HUGE animal lover. So it's no surprise that most of my "classic" books are animal-related. So, without further ado, lets jump right into my list.

5. Charlotte's Web

This is pretty much the epitome of classic children's literature. I think everyone has read the book before or knows the general idea of what happens in the story. It's been made into countless plays and movies... it's pretty much the definition of classic.

4. Fox in Socks and How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I'm counting this as one... cheating? Maybe, but it's my list and I'll cry if I want to.
Fox in Socks is the ultimate tongue twister. Kids LOVE when I read it to them. I LOVE it when I read it to them. It's just fun and pretty much impossible to read without getting tongue tied.

I included How the Grinch Stole Christmas in another one of my posts. That's how much I LOVE this book. My Christmases are not complete until I see the cartoon and read it to my kids. (P.S. How CUTE is Max?)

3. Goosebumps

 

 

I remember reading these books like crack when I was little. I was obsessed with them. I think it's what got me REALLY into reading. I couldn't get enough of them. I vividly remember going to the mall with my parents, going into Walden's (who remembers those?) and finding new Goosebumps books. I'm a texture person too, so I always liked that the title was embossed to make it feel like Goosebumps. I was proud of myself when I didn't get scared from the books, too!

2. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

This is probably the newest book on this list, but I really enjoy it. I think I like it sometimes more than the kids do when I read it. It's an awesome book though for many reasons. First, it's a fun take on a classic tale. Secondly, it's funny. Third, it lends itself greatly to teaching point of view and showing how a story can be very different depending on who is telling the story. I often use it for compare and contrast lessons as well.

And now for my #1 classic book...

1. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

  

So, I know it's hard to see, but even in that little blue circle it says, "The classic book behind the major motion picture". See!  I'm not the only one who thinks this book is a classic. I think I love this one so much, because I can just relate to Alexander so well. I feel like I have those kind of days pretty much once a week. I always ask the kids if they feel like they have those kinds of bad days and so many reply, "No!" Boy, I want their life.  

 

Head on over to the next book!

 

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The Back to School Giveaway Winner is.....

So, contests are awesome, especially when you're the winner like Georgette H! 

I emailed Georgette to let her know that she was randomly drawn by Rafflecopter to win and she was so excited! She told me a little about herself... she's pretty new to teaching. She didn't start until her late 40's when she got out of the Navy (thanks for your service, Georgette!)
She's now an early childhood special education teacher.

She lives in Missouri now, but is originally from PA (where I'm from... I knew I liked this lady!), although we're from totally opposite ends, that's ok. She misses this great state of PA for it's mountains (we do have some great scenery if you've never been here) and the good food (we can eat here in PA)

Congratulations again. Hopefully all the materials will help you and your kiddos this school year! Make 2016-2017 the best year yet!

(Just to recap--- Georgette is the lovely winner of a $20 Staples gift card, $55 in TpT resources from some GREAT TpT stores, AND nearly $30 in miscellaneous school supplies!)


To everyone who entered, thank you! Make sure you check back here often for more giveaways in the near future!

Back to School Giveaway!

Back to School...

If you are a teacher those three words may be enough to induce nightmares. Although I absolutely love what I do, I also absolutely love my summers off. It's a time for me to reflect, refresh, and relax! I think most teachers feel the same way. 

Here's how I respond when someone asks me: "So, are you ready to go back to school?"

I did a little soul searching and decided to face the facts. I head back to inservice in less than 2 weeks. I'm trying to get my head around it all. There's so much I want to do! I did pick up these awesome adhesive label holders from Target's Bull's Eye Playground (or whatever they're calling it these days).

Then my teacher brain started thinking up all the cute designs for some labels to fill these babies. I came up with a nautical themed set and a rainbow colored themed set. I'm also in the process of making a beach themed set and one with kids on it (possibly Melonheadz from Scappin Doodles on TpT!) I'll post those on here as soon as they are done! If you're interested in the two below, here are the links to my store.

Click to get the Rainbow Labels

Click to get the Nautical Labels

I also have created motivational posters that I am going to print out and put into some cheap 8x10 frames and make a sort of "gallery wall" in my classroom. ( I know I need motivation at the beginning of the year... and the middle and end, and I know the kids do as well!) They're some great quotes, and I think they'd work in any classroom!

Click to get the motivational posters!

To help ease the pain I'm running a BTS giveaway!

My TpT store- $10 store credit

Creative Teaching Resources- $15 store credit

Kristin Jason- $5 store credit

Teach Me T- $5 store credit

Ashley Wright at the Wright Nook- $10 store credit

Denise Hill - $5 store credit

Toadally Exceptional Learners- $5 store credit

Enter below to win! 

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 26th, here on my blog, as well as on my Instagram page

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5 Most Beloved Characters in Children's Literature

Welcome to the 4th week of the Summer Stash blog hop!

Again, thank you to Minute Mommy for hosting this great idea.

Amazon is probably quite happy with me right now after all the books I have ordered because of this blog hop- my bank account and fiance might not be quite as happy. Oh well! It's a teacher thing.

This week is all about beloved characters in children's books. It makes me nostalgic to think about this. I'm brought back to my elementary days thinking about Baby-Sitters Club books. Anybody remember those? Those were the shiz.

I felt SO grown up when I started reading these! 

Fast forward 15 or so years, (maybe more, who's counting?) and I'm now a reading specialist, working with students who struggle with reading, trying to get them to love reading like I did as a kid and as an adult.

How true, right?

Without any further ado, here are my top 5 most beloved characters in children's literature.

Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner 

I'm a huge animal lover. Pretty much anything to do with animals is a sure win for me. (FYI: You're going to see this is pretty much true for the rest of this post.) Who can resist a cat who thinks he's a leetle Chihuahua? He has a group of imaginary Chihuahua friends named Los Chimichangos. (I can't stand the cuteness!) 

This is a great book for read-alouds if you're up to getting your Spanish accent on. The kids love when I do it (shaking my head... what we don't do for our kiddos, huh?)

Here's a link to the author's website. There are lots of cute extras that you can use for free with the books. 

Pigeon by Mo Willems

Ok, first off, can I just say how much I ADORE Mo Willems? Especially for this..

Everybody now... "Awwwwww"

This past year a lot of my kiddos became OBSESSED with the pigeon books. I just found that he even has his own Twitter account. (I mean, really?) Again, who can resist a good animal book, especially when it's funny? Pigeon has a few friends like Elephant, Piggie, Edwina, etc. that add to the fun. My favorite of the series is probably Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. It has a lot of dialogue. It's great for pointing out expression as you read. Pigeon has lots of energy. At one point, Pigeon freaks out, and whenever I get to that point the kids know that I'm going to YELL, because the letters are in capital and have lots of exclamation marks. 

Here's his website. 

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Not an animal, but I love her spunk. 

One of the few favorite characters that's not an animal... Junie B. Jones! I enjoy using these books with kiddos who are just starting into chapter books. The chapters are usually short (5-8 pages). They are sucked into the books because of Junie's mischievous ways. I think a lot of them can relate to her! With the character being a girl, you'd think at this age most boys wouldn't be into it, but I find that sometimes boys like this series more than the girls. (I think it has to do again with the mischievous ways!) 

My only thing with Junie that I have mixed emotions about is the way she talks. She talks how you'd expect an average 5 or so year old to talk. Her grammar is not exactly the best. I like this because the author is keeping it real, but on the other hand, my teacher mode kicks in. I feel the need to point out the errors. I usually tell the students about the fact that sometimes Junie doesn't speak good well (see what I did there?) beforehand. Sometimes they'll even point out the errors. They'll say things like, "That doesn't sound right."

 Duck from Duck for President by Doreen Cronin 

I'd vote for him in this election!

Here we go again, another animal. I know, I know. Doreen Cronin introduced us to Duck in Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type, (which is another awesome book by the way). This book is great to use this year with the upcoming election. I always use it in election years to explain what it means to become POTUS and how that happens. We do a whole bunch of things regarding this (which I'm turning into a TpT product as we speak). 

Plus, we always check out a few Kid President videos. (This one especially. He's too darn cute!)

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin

Who doesn't love Pete the Cat? He's one cool cat. This character is a favorite of the kids and  mine. (I also have a soft spot for Pete because my fiance has a cat named Pete... well, actually Pierre, but we call him Pete.)

Thanks for reading all about my 5 fave characters! 

Head over to Minute Mommy for the next stop!

An InLinkz Link-up

5 Nonfiction Series to Use in Your Elementary Classroom

Thanks again to Minute Mommy for hosting this weekly blog hop. For this week, we're diving into nonfiction books, a very under-appreciated genre for some kids. I personally love using non-fiction books with students. I'm a reading specialist so I work with kids kindergarten to sixth grade. I like to start early with them using nonfiction. I see so many times that when kids have comprehension issues, it is almost always when nonfiction is involved. Again, it's best to start as early as possible modeling comprehension strategies while reading nonfiction books.

   

Very often nonfiction books come in series of topics. I have a lot of series that are favorites, so I decided to go that route with my list of books. So without further ado... here are my must have nonfiction series.

I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis 

 

 

So these books may be a little bit of cheating when it comes to "nonfiction". The idea behind the books is that Lauren uses real events that have happened and includes some true facts about the event, but then also throws in a fictional element with some of the characters and events. I personally love this series, because I think it's a nice middle ground for students who are bored by nonfiction. They're learning some facts about a real event in history, while also being entertained by a fictional story. I think it's a win-win.

Also, check out Lauren's website. There are tons of activities and other info to look at while reading the books. I've used both of these books shown with students that I tutor (students who are not super interested in reading) and they LOVED them. In fact, they both saw that it was a series and wanted to read the others. Again, WIN!!!

If You Lived Series by various authors

I love this series of historical books. So far, I'm aware of there being 12 available. Check out this link to see them all.
The best thing about them is the format in which they are written, which is question and answer. I find this helpful because students can pick and choose parts of the book to read. They can skim to questions that they find interesting.

Also, they're great to use with the KWL (What I Know, What I Want to Know, and What I Learned) strategy. I'll have the students list what they know about the topic before we read, brainstorm a few questions they have about the topic, or pick out a certain number of questions in the table of contents that they would like to learn more on, and then after reading, they answer the questions in a short summary telling what they learned from the book.

Other topics covered include:

• If You Lived 100 Years Ago
• If You Lived During the San Francisco Earthquakes
• If You Lived in Colonial Williamsburg
• If You Lived in Colonial Times
• If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America
• If You Lived With the Cherokee Indians
• If You Lived With the Iroquois Indians
• If You Lived With the Sioux Indians
• If You Sailed on the Mayflower
• If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
• If You Were at the First Thanksgiving

National Geographic Kids

 These are awesome for even beginner readers because of the great illustrations and pictures that are used in the book. I've had many struggling readers who really latch onto this series because they often can use the pictures to look for clues when figuring out an unknown word. The series ranges from animals, science, people, and nature. Here's a website where you can have a student log in to keep track of the books they read.

Scholastic's True or False Series 

I find that with most nonfiction books, for most kids, if it has something to do with animals- you're good to go. In this series there are a lot of books that have to do with just that... especially this one! I've had kids get into a fight over who was going to get to read it next! I mean come on, look at those babies on the cover!!!

It's written in a question and answer format. The reader has to decide whether or not it's true or false. The pictures are great as well. These are really good for students in fourth or fifth grade who really struggle with reading.

Magic Treehouse Nonfiction Companions

I love that Magic Treehouse has companion books to go along with their fictional stories (like the two above). It reminds me in a way of the I Survived series. I have found that kids love these books, because they can can be related back to a fictional story that they have already read or could read after the nonfiction. (I prefer doing the nonfiction one first, so that they can have prior knowledge for some things they will come across in the fictional story.)

This is also a great way to talk about compare and contrast between fiction and nonfiction, such as text structures and so on.

If you liked this post, I'd appreciate it if you'd post the following pic on Pinterest. Just hover over it and voila! Click on the Pinterest button on the top left corner!

The next stop on your quest through this lovely blog hop is to none other than the lovely Minute Mommy! Go check her out now!

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Most Loved Seasonal Children's Books

First of all, thank you Minute Mommy (Go check out her blog) for allowing me to join in on the Summer Reading Stash Blog Hop! (Such a fantastic idea!)

Just to catch everyone up on this who isn't familiar with it... there are a few of us joining together each week (on Wednesdays until the beginning of August) to post our favorite children's books to use in the classroom based on a different theme each week.

This week is seasonal. I have quite a few that I love. I'll give a quick summary of each in case you're not familiar with them.

Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini

Mooseltoe is part of a series of books featuring the great moose with a big MOOSETACHE! In preparation for Christmas he does everything he can think of that is needed. In all the craziness, on Christmas Eve, he realizes... dun dun dun.... HE FORGOT THE TREE! He can't find one anywhere since he's so late, so what does he decide he has to do? He stands in the corner and uses his great moosetache as the tree to decorate. The bad part for him is that he has to stand in the corner now without leaving!

The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy- by Jane Thayer

I'm a total sucker for any dog book. Who can you resist a book about a cutie who just wants a boy for Christmas? He goes around to many dogs asking if they'd like to give their boy away, but none of them would like to do so. Little Petey doesn't give up though. Finally, he comes about a home for boys and finds 50 boys for Christmas! I have a Winter Comprehension Packet available at Teachers Pay Teachers with a few activities to use with "The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy" in it. The activities deal with character traits and QAR (Question Answer Relationship strategy). 

The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything- by Linda D. Williams

This little old lady is brave! She walks through the woods at night and hears all kind of spooky noises, but she keeps on going. The kids love to make the noises along with you as you read. The book teaches you to face your fears and not to be afraid. Good for even the littles!

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving- by Dav Pilkey

I love, love, love this book! The book is told in the famous "Twas the Night Before Christmas" style poem. A group of children go to a farm the night before Thanksgiving on a field trip with their class. They are having lots of fun until they realize that the turkeys are going to soon become dinner for Thanksgiving. 

:( :(

They smuggle the turkeys home with them on the bus under their shirts. Everyone enjoys Thanksgiving day together!!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas- by Dr. Seuss 

This is an absolute classic and my all-time favorite Christmas book... EVER! Hands down!

I always use this book at Christmas as well as watching the cartoon! (NEVER the Jim Carrey version!) I don't think I need to do a summary on this one. 

(Plus, how CUTE is Max by the way??)

The next stop in the blog hop takes you to Sommer's Lion Pride

An InLinkz Link-up