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Finishing the Year Strong!
We’re so close to December! Can you believe that it’s nearly the end of another year already? This can be such a strange time when it comes to teaching – everything is a bit of a whirlwind because there’s so much going on, it’s the end of a calendar year, but not the end of the school year, and it many cases it feels like you’re surviving until a holiday break. Is it possible to be intentional as we head into December so that everyone enjoys this season, while feeling some closure to 2023 and prepared to start fresh in the new year? Of course it is! Here are my…
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Cyber Monday on TPT
In case you’ve been living under a rock, this is your alert that it’s Cyber Monday! My entire TPT store is eligible, and using the code CYBER23 you can get up to 25% off your total purchase. This is the PERFECT time to snap up the 12 Month of Preschool bundle that I’ve just added! Purchasing each monthly set individually would cost $360 dollars, the bundle is regularly priced at $300 (already a great savings, two whole months free!), and during the sale today you can get the entire bundle – a WHOLE year of preschool lesson plans, activities, printables, and resources, for $225 dollars. That’s an incredible value! There…
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday on Amazon 2023
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you’re shopping this weekend be sure to check out my gift guides and make your gift-giving a little easier. Click on the photos below for all of the links!
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Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Freebie
I can imagine that you’re feeling the Thanksgiving crunch, so I’m coming through with a quick and easy last-minute Thanksgiving activity – oh, and did I mention that it’s free?! This opinion survey set can be used in the classroom, but it would also be an excellent activity for any holiday get together. Print the pages and put them on a clipboard, then send your preschooler around to ask everyone for their opinions! These would be great conversation starters, and they’re sure to spark some strong opinions. You can download them HERE (or by clicking on the photo).
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Thanksgiving Pie Experiment
I know that there are very strong opinions about using food for preschool activities, and I understand both sides of the argument. Personally, I believe that food is something that brings us together. It is a powerful way to open children’s minds to new experiences, and to introduce them to cultural experiences. I am especially partial to taste-tests as science and social studies activities because it gives me the opportunity to expose children to something that they may not ever encounter at home. I’ve been known to taste test fruits and vegetables, in order to introduce new foods and encourage children to be open to trying new things. This particular…
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December Month of Preschool and A Major Announcement!
Have you ever gotten so into a project that you completely forget what day it is? Or does that just happen to me? I’m so sorry that I didn’t have a post up on Wednesday, but I promise I was working on something very special! All of the preschool resources that you need for the month of December are available now (and that’s not even the major announcement). This December set is truly so fun. I’m the kind of teacher who leans heavily into the holidays, so please note that this set is almost all Christmas related. If that isn’t a good fit for your classroom I completely understand! I’m…
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Google Drive Student Portfolios
I originally shared this post a couple of years ago, and it has been the most popular post that I’ve ever written. I can understand why – we all want easy solutions to conferences and documentation, but no one wants to pay for the expensive platforms that curriculum companies have available. This system is my DIY version of that kind of system. Since most parents are a lot more comfortable with google drive and PDF documents it’s been the best way to share information! Here’s the rest of that original post: I’ve always used three-ring binders to compile my students’ portfolios, but this year my classroom did not have the…
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Easy Classroom Applesauce Recipe
I made applesauce at home last week, and it reminded me that it’s been a while since I’ve shared my favorite classroom apple recipe! This easy crockpot applesauce is a fall favorite that is perfect for an apple investigation or holiday meal. Here’s the original post from 2014, and the download with the recipe: I'm not sure when it was decided that autumn means an in-depth study of apples in every single early childhood classroom in the country, but I'm certainly not one to buck tradition. One of my favorite apple activities to do with my preschoolers is to make homemade applesauce. Children love this activity because they get to eat…
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What I’m Loving at the Scholastic Book Fair
I spent yesterday morning helping with the Scholastic Book Fair at my daughter’s school. I don’t know what it is about a book fair, but Scholastic has really cornered the market on getting kids excited about buying books. I have fond memories of LOVING the book fair as a kid, and the students that I helped this week had that same enthusiasm. If I’m being honest, I was still a little giddy about getting my hands on some new books. I found some amazing new offerings that would be wonderful additions to any classroom library. I’m linking my favorites below – and I’m not being compensated in any way for…
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Best Gifts for Teachers 2023
I’ve got one more gift guide for you this week! When it comes to putting these together, the teacher gift guide is always the most challenging. What you choose to give your child’s teacher has a lot to do with your relationship with them – which can mean that there are a ton of different variables at play. I also find it really important to share ideas that don’t look like every other list on the internet (do you know how many teacher gift lists there are that list gift cards, scented candles, and hand soap???? – Too many). Here are the items that the teachers I know would absolutely…
