Nutrition Network Summer Conference

UA Nutrition Network Summer Conference

http://www.uanutritionnetwork.org/

This summer conference was FREE for teachers, and was sponsored by the UANN (University of Arizona Nutrition Network).  They had TONS of gifts, prizes, and even a session with fruit and vegetable samples.

Welcome Tables: Giveaway bags, USB lanyards, and raffle tickets.

Raffle Tables: 16 different bags full of nutrition giveaways to help support teachers in their classrooms.  The bags varied with containers, measuring cups, jump ropes, DVD's, and even a night stay at the host hotel. 

Information Tables: Set up around the room to show teaching tools available to borrow and ideas that others have used including the Food Bank.

Lunch Table Decorations :)

Welcome Speaker

Breakout Session 1:  Fear Factor Food Tasting

The Garden Kitchen

All of fruits and vegetables you see on the table we got to learn about their health benefit and EAT them!  So much fun!!

Breakout Session 2: Building a School Garden
Tucson Food Bank
Tucson Food Bank Gardening Programs


This was a high school teacher explaining how she and her students created a garden at school.  They were so successful they sold their produce to the teachers!













The Tucson Community Food Bank supports schools and families in getting their own garden started.  They also have great volunteer opportunities in warehouses and working on their farms.

                  

Things you can check out to use at your school.

Yes, those costumes are available to borrow too.

Final Keynote Speaker: A 13 Year Old Girl

This well spoken your lady has been on many committees, met the last 2 presidents, and continues to serve her community.  She was inspired by her father who was diagnosed with type II diabetes, and the whole family changed their eating and fitness habits!

Closing remarks and finishing off the raffles...I WON!!  

My set of 30 jump ropes will be put to use all year long!

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Open House - Student Led

I love open house / back to school night now that I have this little trick!  I use a scavenger hunt to have my students show their parents important things in our classroom.  They have to go to all of the areas on the list and write down the letter posted in order to crack the code.  I give prizes to those who crack the code, with or with out help.  This is really all about the family getting to know their child's world through this activity and they seem to really like it!

Check it out here:  Open House Scavenger Hunt

When you purchase this product it is editable on the map, 

and includes the cards to make your own secret code to post around the classroom!

P.S. My secret code spelled out Second Grade ;)

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Organizing Supplies

Managing supplies for groups with shared items can be tricky and I have tried so many things!  This is what I did this year...

Mini Divided Holders - 6 Colors

All items in the holder are either washi taped to match or sharpie labeled with the color.

Teams are responsible for keeping all materials in their holder and putting it in a desk when they switch classes for reading.  All items lost or broken must be replaced by purchasing new ones with "tokens" (classroom money earned for participation behavior)

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Another great storage solution...cube shelves!  I bought this one at Ikea and had a friend's excellent contractor mount it on the wall with brackets (4 just to be safe).

BEFORE

Messy on the counter with supplies brought in the first day...limited storage.

AFTER

Beautifully attached to the wall for storage inside, under and on top!

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My newest organization trick for all of my centers bins!

                

From this                                                 To THIS!

My new classroom was short on storage so we built our own shelves!  My mom is an excellent handy-woman :)  All of the materials were from the hardware store, and make sure to use a leveler so your shelves are balanced.  The best part about this kind of shelving is that I can add more levels or make them longer later on if I need too!

    

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After 6 years with the same calendar, I finally bought a new one!  I was inspired by a sale and noticing pieces were missing...I guess it was time.  BUT what I really want to share is how to keep all of those little date pieces in a safe place, so you won't lose them overtime like I did.  I got my idea from Pinterest as my ziplocks for each month were just not doing the job. 

I laminated all the parts at my local teacher store, thanks Jonathan's for your spectacular services!  I've only cut out 6 months so far, and I love how they fit in the box. My year starts in August, so I am putting August in the front and I will rotate it to the back once August is over, so the next month is in the front.  Since we don't go to school in June and July I will probably leave them out of the box, but keep them safe in case I teacher summer school in the future :)   

To put up my pieces on my calendar I love to use wall putty, maybe because the kids think it's gum, or maybe because it is the easiest and cleanest to put up and take down 10 times!  The putty will sit on the top of the box so my students can take little pieces off and put of the dates each morning (it's a classroom job).

       

To divide the months I used sticky note 3x5 cards and cut them to make them the right size.  I will use the extra part as a back to the month so I can see the divisions from both sides.  

Cute Dollar Tree Box with locking handles!

Back of cute box, you can see my 6 months all ready to go!

Here's where my idea came from:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/148055906474953000/

Check out my TeacherLists supplies list:  Ms. Sobel's Supply List

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Classroom Forms For All

Back to school and throughout the year there are forms for everything.  Here are some examples of forms I use, revise, and reuse for parent letters, field trip permission slip, and keeping organized.

Polka Dot Supply Bin Labels

Popcorn Framed Student Jobs

Lesson Plan Template:

Download it here!

Supply List:

Download it here!

Welcome Letter:

Download it here!

Pit Stop Behavior Form:

Comes 2 per page.

Download it here!

Weekly Newsletter Template:

I used to have my name on the top where is says classroom, and the front clip art was the school logo or mascot.

Download it here!

Field Trip Permission Slip:

Download it here!

Weekly Portfolio Binder:

Directions:      
Spanish translation included but is not very well done.  I will get a new translator this year :)                                                       

Download it here!

Signature Log (all 4 quarters):      

Download it here!

 

Photo Permission:

I found the wording online, already bilingual, and edited it for my needs. 

Download it here!

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Deals, Clubs, and Promotions

The Container Store
https://www.containerstore.com/teachers/index.htm



SunnyD Bookspree
http://sunnyd.com/bookspree/en/

Bookmans

Thank you Tucson Office Max and Office Depot stores for hosting Teacher Appreciation Day!  It's really great to see the local companies who also support these events and teachers!!

         

  

If you like discounts and freebies sign up and participate with these organizations.

*Fall Promotions*

Limeades For Learning: Collect Sonic Codes and vote to fund DonorsChoose Projects.    Coming Soon

SunnyD Bookspree: Collect SunnyD labels and mail them in for free books.     Coming Soon

Teacher Lists: Teacher Lists Sign Up - Make a list and tell your friends, each friend  that makes a list earns you, and them, a sponsored prize. (Back to school and January)


*Year Round & Free Memberships*

Office Max:  www.officemaxperks.com Make sure you click on Teacher Rewards to be sure you get the teaching supplies offers and invitations.


Office Depot: https://www.officedepot.com/a/loyalty-program Be a Star Teacher

Staples: www.staplesrewardscenter.com



Michaels: Teacher Discount - http://www.michaels.com/teachers--create-for-your-classroom/article-teachers.html

JoAnn Fabrics: http://www.joann.com/teacherrewards/  Discount on all purchases


If you know of a good teacher discount or club comment below and I'll update my list.

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Pinterest Crafts: Pass or Fail?

Birthday Wands!

I'm usually not very good at celebrating birthdays at school, one year I did bracelets, one year I did a certificate and a lollipop, so I needed something new.  These wands are cheap and easy to make, especially when you can shop at the Dollar Tree.  

Supplies needed: pencils, star cutouts, hot glue, 

pencil cup/vase, ribbon, scissors.

Attach the Star with hot glue.  Add decorative ribbon.

Put all the beautiful wands in a pencil cup, jar, or vase.   

To finish them off I will label the front with Happy Birthday and the back will have a students Name and their Birth Date.  Then all I have to do is sharpen them the day before so they can write with it all day to celebrate!

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I attended a "Pinterest Party" yesterday evening.  Great concept!  You invite over a few friends with a common goal.  For this party we were a group of teachers wanting to make some new classroom items for management, decoration, or organization.  Each person picks a project, pre-tested or not, and brings enough supplies for each of the other party participants to make their own. Simple and fun!  We had 6 people so 6 crafts to assemble, if we had more than that we would have been crafting all night :)

Here's what I made:   

Pinterest Party = PASS

Bulletin Board:  Made from insullation foam, fabric and some hot glue (or staples).
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/148055906474846893/

To Do List Picture Frame: Printed to-do list with blank check boxes and lines, put in in a picture frame (dollar tree) and dry erase you list on.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/133700682662389311/

Brain Break Sticks:  List out the activities you want to have as handy choices on the big craft sticks.  Mine are exercise sticks that don't require any prep.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/133700682660367276/

Clock Helper Petals:  Poster board, clock for measuring petal and stem sizes.  
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/77968637270316779/  I will be printing the numbers from this freebie 
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/150026231310414364/



Monster Bookmarks:  So I didn't have the patience to sit and pre-make these so you'll have to check it out on the pin. Instead I have the pieces cut to the correct sizes ready to use a reward for kids to make.  
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/100486635410119486/

Lining Up Chants: I didn't make this one but it's really cute to have handy to get those kids up and moving to quickly get in line.  I'm not sure this is the same post, but I think the rhymes are the same.  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/136726538659794518/

*Bonus*
Giant Student Picture Frame:  Poster board and markers will do the trick.  I will print out seasonal items and stick them in the corners so I can reuse the frame all year long!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/148055906475022843/



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