Parent Teacher Conference Top Tips

Parent/Teacher conferences can be nerve-racking; but they don't have to be. Trying to cover academics and behavior in the short bursts of time we have with each family can leave you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. But with a few items in place and a set formula for the flow of the conversation, you will be prepared to have the best conferences ever! 

Make Your First Contact a Positive One

I make it a goal to contact every student's family with a positive message before the first month of school is complete. I use an app to keep in constant contact and often drop a picture or line using the direct messaging to establish a positive relationship with each family. 

It's never too late to reach out in a positive way. If the only time you contact a parent is to complain or point out something negative, it's going to be a long year for them (and you)! Sometimes a negative conversation is unavoidable and required. When that happens, be sure to discuss strategies for success moving forward. Within the next few days, I would encourage you to find something positive and reach out to the family to share it. You can keep it simple: Johnny had a great day today. Suzie stayed focus the entire math block! Joey helped a student find a pencil. Find something to share that's positive. It will make a world of difference as you work with the family throughout the year.

Ask Them For Their Thoughts First

Before you get into the nuts and bolts of what you have prepared, give the parents an opportunity to ask their questions or discuss their concerns. This will guarantee they will have their voice heard before time runs out. Sometimes when parents share their questions or concerns the conversation will go in a direction that you may not have anticipated; and that's ok. You are meeting the needs of that family and the concerns they have. The academic discussion can "wait". 

Have Your Data Ready

I always prepare for conferences with a two-prong approach: Academics and Behavior. For some students the conversation will be focused more on one than the other. You will know ahead of time which students will need more focus in certain areas: prepare for it.

The week before conference I prepare a chart filled out with academic and behavioral data points for each student. I put all the data together and then organize the data charts based on the conference schedule. My district offers families a variety of dates and times so I arrange the data charts in the order families have signed up for conferences.

If you have academic concerns, bring the data to demonstrate why. Parents are more willing to listen and share your concerns when you have data points that show your concerns. Aside from whichever benchmark assessment(s) your district requires, have some of your own curriculum based measurees to share. Discuss how the child is progressing compared to peers. And, most importantly, share with the family your plan to help the child bridge the gap. If you have progess monitoring data to demonstrate how the interventions are working, even better! It's going to be a much smoother conversation if you are able to show the gap closing.

Sandwich the Bad Between the Good

If you are going to be sharing some tough numbers and large gaps, be sure to start with something positive, then share the negative, and then share something positive again. For example, I might start with academic strengths and traits such as excellent attendance, staying focused during instruction, working carefully, or participating well. Then, discuss the academic gaps and concerns and how the interventions are working for the student. Finally, I would share the positive character traits the student demonstrates: Leadership, Creativity, Fairness, Self-Control, Humor, Kindness, etc...

If you know you're going to be having a tough conversation with a family, and suspect that it might be a challenge, invite staff members to attend that can help. This may be a special educator, an intervention provider, the school psychologist, or a building administrator. 

Take Notes

Before I begin conferences, I print out the schedule. I have a set template I use that includes the following information: Date/Time, Student Name, Parent Name. As I meet with each parent I "check off" the name. If a parent "no-shows" I highlight the row so I can follow up later. 

Have paper/pencil ready. Occassionally, a parent will have a question or concern that you are unable to answer or solve in the few minutes you conference. Make a note so you won't forget. 

If you put together data charts, you can make a copy (one to share and one to keep). On the chart you can put in a "comment" section and take your notes there. 

Follow Up

When conferences have ended there will be a follow up. Some years the follow up is putting the notes into the system for next year's teacher. Other years the follow up may be tracking down information and contacting the parent with what you have learned. 

Once conferences have concluded I try to get my notes into the system ASAP. But the reality is I don't always get to it quickly. When I do get around to putting my notes into the system, I use the schedule and data charts to recall the details of the date/time, who was part of the conversation, and the major points discussed. 

Don't drop the ball on the follow up. A lack of notes in the system leaves teachers who come after you without important information. Turning a blind eye to the questions or concerns of a family leaves them feeling frustrated and ignored. Both scenarios are unprofessional.

At the end of the day, it's important to keep your focus on a singular thought: both you and the student's family want what is best for the student. So, if the conversation gets tough, take a breath, remind yourself of this goal, and proceed ahead.

For some additional ideas for organization, planning, and routines check out these blog posts!

Morning Routine in an Elementary Classroom

Easy Lesson Plans

How to Create the Best Home/School Connection with Just One App

Using Reward Tags to Increase the Home/School Connection

Friendly Letter Writing in an Elementary Classroom; Friday Family Letters

For a while now my collegues and I have been frustrated by the lack of writing being done at the elementary level. That's not to say it isn't valued. I don't imagine there is an educator on the planet that doesn't value writing. However, there have been some fundamental shifts in what our days look like and the requirements expected within a classroom schedule. Gone are the days when we intentionally planned various writing units: compare and contrast, opinion writing, expository writing, creative writing... we weave it in and out of the content we teach as an additional part; not the main component of the unit. Through no fault of its own, writing has become the redheaded step-child. 

To be fair, there are some excellent curricula that incorporate writing into their daily lessons. I have seen (and taught) some beautifully scaffolded lessons that engage students to write poignant paragraphs and engaging essays. But, still, there seems to be a lack of basic writing skills. For example, how many times must I remind students that sentences start with a capital and end with punctuation? Proper names must be capitalized. Indenting is a "thing".

For all the scaffolding and differentiation we deliver through writing curriculum, it's mind-boggling that I still need to go over these very basic components of writing. Some blame text messaging. Others will say it's "just how this generation is". But, I tend to think not. I've been in the trenches for over 25 years (at least one generation...right?) and these writing woes have been in existence since I first stepped into a fourth grade room.

So, what is the answer? What can we do to help these young people hard-wire the basics of writing that will stick with them throughout their educational careers and into adulthood?

Friday Family Letters!

I saw this idea in another classroom (in another district) that I was visiting. The teacher showed me the progression in writing from the start of the school year up to that week; I was visiting during the winter. The transformation was staggering! There wasn't one aspect of the letters that did not improve: the format, the length, the details, the grammar, and punctuation. Everything! 

Although we were already deep into the school year, I immediately started assigning Friday Family Letters.

I love this concept! It gets students working on their writing skills and helps keep families informed about what's been going on in school. It's a win-win!

The whole process looks like this:

1. Students arrive and immediately get a lined piece of paper and a pencil. 

• The first few weeks will require reviewing how to orient the paper (holes on the left, big white space on the top). You may also need to explain to students what the red/pink lines are for. I demonstrate to students they should move to the next line as soon as a word comes close to/crosses the pink margin line.
• I highly encourage students to skip lines.
• Review the friendly-letter format. Post an achor chart somewhere in the room that students can reference in later weeks.

2. Brainstorm as a whole group what has happened the past week. I keep the discussion limited to what has happened in the building. 

• As we brainstorm, I write their ideas on the board in front of the classroom. It helps students with generating ideas as well as how to spell some of the challenging words or names that come up. Ex: Haudenosaunee. I also make sure to write the date on the top of the board so students have a reference for their own letter.

3. Students write! As they complete their letters, they bring them to me for a final review. I have certain criteria that must be met. 

• Students must use a friendly-letter format with all of the components that are on the anchor chart posted in the room. 
• Students cannot spell any words wrong that are included on the brainstormed list. 
• All proper names must be capitalized.
• All sentences must start with capitals and end with punctuation.
• No lower case "I"s allowed. 

If a student does not meet one of the criteria, I hand their letter back to them, they correct it, and then resubmit it. As the year progresses, the number of details (or paragraphs) that I require will increase. In September I expect a topic sentence, 3 details, and a conclusion. By mid-year, they are writing 5 paragraphs. It is important to model the expectation every few weeks; especially as the requirements increase.

4. I collect all the letters and make a copy of each one.

• Be sure to check the backs of the letters. Sometimes students will need to go to the back of the paper to finish their letter. At the start of the year there will be a student or 2. By mid-year, there will be several. By the spring, it will be a majority!

5. I send the orginial home and I place the copy into a file system/folder for each student. 

• I keep a file system in a filing cabinet with the students organized alphabetically. I place the current week's letter in the back of each student file. When I give them back to the students at the end of the year, they will already be stacked chronologically.

6. Students will get the stored/copied pile back in June. Ideally, I will put the letters in a 3-prong folder. Students love to see their progression as well as "re-live" their fourth grade year.

Morning Surprise!
Students came in the last week of school to a binder filled with
their letters and a Start to Summer Sweet Treat.

Personalization!
I ran copies to make a cover for each binder and personalized each one.
Students then added their own colors.

Friday Family Letter in September.

Friday Family Letter in June.

Writing Friday Family Letters is a genuine and engaging way to get your students practicing their writing skills. They have a vested interest in the content and will do their best to make sure their message is being conveyed clearly. Friday Family Letters are one of the most powerful routines (academically, socially, home/school connection) you can implement in your classroom.

To read about other writing strategies click below!

Color-Coded Paragraphs Writing Strategy

Single Point Rubrics for Writing

Reclaiming Writer's Workshop Part 1

Reclaiming Writer's Workshop Part 2

Written Response for Social Studies Inquiries (2-point versus 4-point)

Connecting with Families and Students During Covid

As Covid-19 rages across the globe, education continues to re-imagine itself and evolve in ways never conceived before. However, one facet still remains as the cornerstone of teaching: making connections. Building relationships in person while students sit in a classroom is tough enough, doing it through a computer screen seems insurmountable. But, it can be done.

Lesson delivery presents its unique challenges as we scramble to deliver instruction in new and engaging ways. Add some tricks to your hat and find a way to tally a point in the win column every day.

Connect First, Make It Positive

This is not new. But it is a great reminder. Make every effort to ensure the first connection or contact you have with a student's family is positive. It will help take the sting out of later communications you may need to make that aren't "positive". Families are stressed enough right now. They need to hear something positive, not that their child hasn't logged in or completed work. For some people, education is not the priority right now.

If you have missed the window for a positive first contact, find time to do it now. A simple email or quick phone call will go a long way. Anything positive will work. Here are some suggestions if you're struggling: "I am grateful Johnny is here every day." "Johnny always logs in on time. Let him know I appreciate it." "Your son always has a smile on his face. I love the positivity he brings to the classroom." "I noticed Johnny was logged in over the weekend. Please let him know I see his efforts and appreciate them." "Johnny logged in for the conference call today. I'm so glad he was able to make it. I hope to see him again tomorrow."

If you can see a storm brewing, get ahead of it. Call or email first. One thing I learned long ago is that a phone call can be more powerful than an email. It's very easy to misconstrue the tone in an email. A phone call gives you the flexibility to clear up misunderstandings before families feel a need to reply in a less than positive way or push the email up the ladder.

If you haven't seen or heard from a student for a day or two, reach out. I have found the easiest way to approach this conversation is to ask the family if they need help. "Hi, just checking in. Johnny hasn't been in school or online for 2 days, is there anything I can do to help?" Approaching the conversation from a helpful position rather than an accusatory one will yield far better responses and results.

During the spring lockdown, my teammate made it a mission to connect directly with every student everyday. If he saw someone login, he made sure to send them a private message to say "Good Morning" or ask how they were doing that day. He kept a checklist to keep track of the connections and to make sure he didn't miss anyone. Once he shared this brilliant strategy with us, I started doing it too. It made a difference. The students were more engaged and clicked in more often. Spending just a few seconds connecting directly and individually with students rippled throughout the day and into the weeks and months that followed.

Stay Accessible

I have "exposed" my personal cell number more in the past 7 months than I have in my entire career. The speed at which I can comunicate, the ease of having that direct connection, letting families know they can reach me at any time, is worth it. I am not suggesting you do the same. I am sharing my strategy for staying accessible. There is something to be said when a family knows they have a direct line to you. 

I also use an "inbox" within our LMS (Learning Management System) as well as traditional e-mail blasts through our RIC (Regional Information Center). I do answer emails nights and weekends. Again, that's a personal choice. 

When I had a child go into quarantine, I was glad to answer the email. I wanted the family to know, "It's ok, we've got it covered." I also asked, "Is there anything else I can do to help you?" Sometimes just letting families know you have their back is a relief. Being put into quarantine is tough (I am speaking from experience). One of the most calming phrases is, "What do you need?"

When I was placed into quaratine it was the same process...only "in reverse". I immediately spoke with my administrators and then contacted my students and their families. I wanted the message to be transparent and reassuring. I wanted the students to know it was precautionary, I was healthy, and that I would still be clicking in and teaching them every day. I let the students and families know, "I've got it covered."

However you communicate, reassure your families that they can reach you when needed. And, don't forget to respond. Respond to it all. Try to be the last communicator; even if it's a simple one-word response. 

For some, teachers and the education system are the only stability in their life. Reach deep down and make sure you have communicated that despite the system looking vastly different, the stability remains, that you will be the rock they need, and help is always available.

Thank Students (and Families)

One thing I try to do is thank people. I thank the students for showing up or clicking in. I thank them for their patience when the tech is not cooperating. I thank the families for raising patient children. I thank them.

I am amazed by the level of patience students are able to demonstrate the past few months. I always try to make light of truly frustrating situations; especially the ones we can't control (for instance, when the mic is screeching like a banshee and you have to type instruction rather than speak...). I have been fortuante enough to witness the resolve of students who will stay with me and not give up. They'll contend with the roughest connections if it means they still get to connect. So, the least I can do is be patient, too. And at the end of the toughest session, I thank them for their patience and for sticking with me.

Talk About It

It is a unique time in education when teachers can speak with their students and connect with them in ways they never have before. Although each of us is having a unique pandemic experience, there is the binding thread of sameness in that we each much get through this. 

Take the time to connect with your students about "the pandemic". Discuss their experiences and let them know you can relate. That doesn't mean it needs to be a doom and gloom conversation. My students and I have talked about all kinds of issues: masks, loud siblings, standing in lines, stuck at daycare faciltiies, split family time, quaratines, best flavor for ramen noodles, etc... 

Sometimes the conversations do steer toward more personal and heart-wrenching scenarios. You are the professional. Guide that conversation in a productive and supportive way. If it's beyond your skill set, reach out to support staff in the building that can help.

It may be that you planned the lesson of your career and watched it die a slow death due to tech woes, low student turn out, or quarantine. But at the end of the day, if you were able to make a connection with a student and build the relationship, that's a win. And right now, we all could use a win. 

Holiday Crafts and Projects in the Classroom

December can be a challenging month in the elementary world. Minds are racing everywhere. It can be hard to stay focused with all the hubbub of the Christmas season. It can be a struggle for adults, imagine how hard it can be for the students! Remember to be kind and give yourself (and your students) a break!

To help keep focus on school, there are tons of fun things that can be integrated into the classroom to make learning engaging and holiday themed.We love to do holiday themed writing, games, task cards, break outs. But in our classrooms there are always tons of crafts being made as well.

When the holidays approach I always consider them a time to hone the students' OT skill sets! Fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination are important. And what better way to practice those skills than to craft!

Classroom Holiday Crafts

I love to make crafts with the kids and have them bring them home for a gift. Their faces light up when they have the opportunity to give a gift to someone. We do have some staple ornaments and projects that we do every year, such as these adorable candy cane ornaments--> Easy Christmas Ornaments.

Students come back and tell us, “I still have the ice cream cone ornament” or “I hang my puzzle piece wreath every year!” I know I cherish the ornaments that my daughter has brought home over the years.

This year since I am team teaching again (with 3 sections) and we decided to handle crafts with a team approach. We wanted to make sure each student in the grade level would have identical gifts to bring home. This sounds like a great plan until you have to make 75 of this and 75 of that! But once we got organized the process was like a mini assembly line.

Our first step was to decide what to make. We then talked about supplies we already had in the closets, and finally we divided up the crafting time. It worked out very well because with each of us focused on different curriculum we were able to break up the day (and the crafting time) based on where each teacher was in the scope and sequence for their curriculum.

Below are some of the crafting and holiday-themed items we have sent home to families:

Snowmen Ornaments

Handprint snowmen were done in one classroom. The teacher did a mini lesson for the day and then had the class working on content related tasks that were review, so they didn’t need explicit teaching during this time. She was able to call over each student one at a time to paint their hands. (A parent volunteer came in and put all of the names and date on each of the bulbs.) This helped with time and she was able to get all 75 students’ hands printed on the bulbs. The bulbs came in a great box of 100, so reorganizing them back into the box to dry was a life saver. Paper plates or shoe boxes would also be a storage option.

The next day, once all of the paint was dry, the students came back and worked in small groups to decorate the snowmen. They used permanent and craft markers. The teacher noticed that the permanent markers dried out quickly due to coloring over the paint. So she switched to cheaper markers and they did the job just the same. Once they were all done, she loaded them back into the organizer bin until we were ready to send them home.

Materials Needed:

• one ornament per student (we used glass but plastic works well too)
• white paint
• colored markers

Time:

• 1 day to stamp hands and dry
• 1 day to decorate

Process:

• label each ornament with the student's name and the year
• paint each student's hand white and press it on the ornament (we kept our snowman count to 3)
• wait for the ornament to dry
• have students decorate their snowman family using markers

Family Traditions Book

One of the tasks the students worked on while we were crafting in small groups was a paragraph about their favorite family tradition. They could choose a holiday or winter themed tradition to write about. Once these writing pieces were complete, we made a grade level book of their traditions. This became a keepsake to send home with the students. We did give support with grammar and mechanics, but kept the content as they wrote it. It was nice to see how they all celebrate family during the holidays.

Family Recipe Book

Another memorable keepsake that doesn’t take too much time to put together is a grade level family recipe book. We sent home a flyer requesting a special family recipe to be sent into school. If you plan on doing this make sure you are specific in your request. Ask families to send the recipe via email. We have done this in the past where we had to retype all of the recipes when they came in hand written!

Once you get the recipes, they need to be formatted and complemented with some clip art. In years past we have printed books in a smaller format so we could create a bound book. We would have each student bring in a cereal box to use for the book cover. We would copy the recipes on a half sheet of copy paper. Then we would cut the cardboard boxes to make covers to support that size.The students cover the cardboard with wallpaper, wrapping paper, art work decorated by themselves. It makes a nicer presentation than just the stapled packet. 

Foam Ornaments

The bulk packages that you can buy make a great and simple ornament for the kids. Our parent volunteers spend quite a bit of time trying to separate all the parts that go with each ornament. This is a time saver for sure! We put all the supplies out on the table and bag up what is needed for each ornament. Sometimes it gets a little crazy when the same kit has reindeer, Santa, and a snowman in it. All of those have different accessories, so bag them up and be ready for those crazy crafters to come to the table! These ornaments are also great a great place to stick those school pictures! My teammate loves to grab these foam kits the day after Christmas for 50-75% off. Grab them cheap after the holidays, throw them into storage, and you will be ready to rock once next December gets here!

Snow Globe Ornaments 

This is a craft we have been looking at for years but had never actually done it. After some late-night messaging on social media, we decided to give it a shot.

To start, we took a picture of each student in an “open jumping jack” pose. The goal was to have them appear to be trapped in a snow globe. We then had to transfer the images to PPT and ask for them to be printed in color.

Then, cutting, cutting, cutting. We trimmed each student’s picture so there was only an outline of their body.

For lamination, we used lamination sheets (3 globes per sheet). After drawing the circles on the sheet, we painted the snowdrift on the bottom portion and then asked students to use their fingers to make snowflakes in the upper portion. We sprinkled some glitter to give it a little pizzazz. Lastly, we added in a globe base (pre-printed with the year) and the student picture. The sheets were ready for lamination!

A tiny dab of paint will help keep the base and picture in place.

WARNING: it is IMPERATIVE that the paint be dry before you laminate. Give the sheets overnight to dry; otherwise you will end up with a smeared mess when the sheets go through the machine.

ALSO NOTE: this is such a cute craft, you may end up making some with your own children, pets, or coworkers’ families!

Materials Needed:

• one picture of each student
• lamination sheets and machine
• white paint
• snow globe bases
• string for hanger (optional)

Time:

• 1 day to take, format, and print picture
• 1 day to cut out the silhouettes
• 1 day to prep the sheets
• 1-2 days to add each student's fingertip snowflakes, glitter, base and picture (and laminate)

Process:

• take each student's picture
• format and print the pictures in color (I fit 6 students on the page vertically, 3 per row, in order to be sized properly for the globe)
• cut the pictures
• prep the lamination sheets: draw circles for the globes, open the sheets and paint the snow drift, allow to dry overnight
• have students add their fingertip snowflakes (allow to dry)
• add the glitter, students picture, and snow globe base
• laminate
• cut out the globes
• add hanger (or a magnet to make it for the fridge!)

This is one of the most intense holiday crafts I have ever done. There was quite a bit of stress and frustration with certain parts of the process. However, like childbirth, I will probably forget about the pain, focus on the product, and do it again!

Holiday Canvas Bags

Every year I have seen these adorable string of light crafts where the students make the light bulbs with their fingerprints. Like the snow globes, they are always begging us to make them. This year we decided to make 75 of them! We actually used our PTO mini-grant to help support the cost of these. We found what we needed on Amazon and applied for two mini-grants to cover the cost.

We did the bags in steps and divided the work between the classes. One of us put a piece of masking tape on the top corner and labeled all the names. We organized them into their home/classrooms so they were ready for mass production. Once they were labeled we used a sharpie marker and created unique light string designs on each bag. Then it was time to pass them off to the next teacher. 

Before getting to the painting portion of the craft, we cut down manila folders to fit into the bag. The layer added protection from paint bleeding onto the back side of the bag. When we were done with the bags, we easily pulled the folders out of the bags and put them into storage for next time.

In another classroom, students used their fingertips and paint to create a holiday string of lights.

Students worked in small groups at a designated craft/paint table while the rest of the class worked through a Google Classroom assignment. These festive bags were used for students to transport their holiday items home and made a nice gift themselves!

Materials Needed:

• one canvas bag per student
• permanent marker
• paint (various bright colors)

Time:

• one day to label bag, draw the strings, and insert the folder
• one day for students to paint their bag
• one day for students to write a holiday message

Process:

• have students come to a craft table set with paint
• students dip their fingers in the paint and gently touch spots along the string

For a less intense approach to creating holiday cards and bags you can check out this blog post --> Easy Holiday Cards and Bags

For a Christmas Craft Project that doubles as a ready-made bulletin board you can visit this blog post --> Classroom Christmas Craft

Our days are super busy with curriculum, but this time of year it is important to take time to be present in the holiday spirit. Many days our classrooms looked a lot like Santa’s workshop! But, in the end, the students had an adorable holiday bag filled with timeless childhood keepsakes.These simple crafts will provide memories for a lifetime. Find ways to fit crafts into your plans and don’t forget to lean on parent volunteers and teammates to get the job done!

Happy Crafting!

Easy Holiday Cards and Gift Bags

Let's face it, December can be tough on teachers. If you blink, it's the day before the break and you realize that you need more time to finish the cards and you forgot the wrapping paper for the family gift. So what happens next? You run to the store during lunch and hope you don't get stuck behind a shopper with 672 items who needs a price check. 

If you've been teaching awhile, you've been there. But, you won't have to be anymore! I'm going to share with you two adorable crafts that will work in a pinch saving you not only time and money, but anxiety too!

Adorable Holiday Craft #1 --> Snow Family Handprint Card or Ornament

This one is so easy it's ridiculous. The best part is that it looks a bit elaborate and makes for a wonderful holiday keepsake.

Handprint Holiday Card

Materials:

• Blue Construction Paper (cut big enough for a handprint)
• White Paint
• Brushes
• Permanent Markers

To Make the Craft:

• Write each child's name on the back of the paper.
• Paint their hand white and "stamp" it on the blue paper. Be careful to use the "right amount" of paint or you will end up with a globby mess; too little paint and you won't get a complete print. Make sure the students' fingers are spread a bit to make room for the drawings later.
• Let the handprints dry. If you paint them in the morning, they will dry by afternoon.
• Have students use permanent markers to decorate their stamped fingers to look like snowman. Demonstrate a few different ideas to dress the snowman: top hat, ear muffs, scarves, etc... Also, demonstrate drawing the faces, the buttons and adding a carrot nose.
• Encourage students to add a message and the date. Write some suggestions on the board to guide them:
• Love Never Melts
• Let It Snow
• Winter Wonderland
• Hello, Winter!
• Frosty Friends Make Winter Warm
• Have a Cool Yule!
• Warm Winter Wishes
• Winter Magic
• Laminate for durability. 

Options: 

- add a magnet to the back so they can be displayed on family refrigerators

- add/tape/hot glue a ribbon to the back so students can hang it on their tree

- cut the paper to a size that could fit into a frame and frame the art

These handprints cards could be used as the family gift itself or as a card to decorate the exterior of a package. They are easy enough to make that you could craft a few extra for staff members in your building as a thank you: secretary, nurse, custodian, etc...

Adorable Holiday Craft #2 --> Brown Lunch Sack Gift Bags

Sometimes you do forget the wrapping paper...these things happen in the hustle and bustle of December. If you find yourself lacking in festive wrap you can still salvage the family gift by placing the items in a brown lunch sack. If you do not have at least one package of brown bags sitting in storage at the ready, I recommend you get some. Their versatility is limitless. 

Happily, I always have some in my cupboard and we were able to make these:

Brown Lunch Sack Gift Bags

Materials:

• Brown Lunch Sacks (you can use the standard size or a larger bag depending on what you need to place inside).
• Gingerbread House Pieces Clip Art
• Coloring Utensils
• Scissors
• Glue

To Make the Craft:

• Have students set their bag down and fold down the base flap so they have a flat face on both sides of their bag. 
• Ask students to figure out a "fold line". That's where you will fold and staple the bag when it is done. It's important to know where the fold line will be so students decorate their brown bag accordingly.
• Pass out the copies.
• Have students color, cut, glue, and decorate! If you're really brave you can add glitter and/or cotton for snow.

Once the bags are done, place your gifts inside, fold it on the line and you're done! It is faster and easier than hand wrapping 24 gifts; no measuring or wrestling with tape!

I did a quick google search for gingerbread house clip art.

Jan Brett offers her own clip art for decorating. You can find it here: Jan Brett Gingerbread Friends Clip Art and Coloring

These two crafts will work in a short amount of time and are easy to do (not to mention highly economical)! I may have more than enough time and wrapping paper to spare, but I love these crafts so much I do them year after year.

The Flat Stanley Project Meets New Yorkie

I was always envious of the primary teachers who took their students on virtual adventures with Flat Stanley. I loved seeing the memorabilia and letters that would teach the students about places around the world.

Being a 4th grade teacher, I knew that most of my students weren’t reading Flat Stanley anymore, so one day I decided to create a project that was just right for my fourth graders. In New York our Social Studies curriculum is centered around the geography and history of our state. So, instead of a Flat Stanley, we were going to send out some New Yorkies!

New Yorkie was going to be our classroom mascot for learning. This project was going to encompass many areas of learning and it was going to start with a simple letter to a friend or family member.

STEP 1: PRINT OUT YOUR CLASS MASCOT

• Print enough mascots for your entire class (and a few extra). I found an adorable Yorkie clip art through Google Image search. Find a mascot you like, copy and paste the image onto a PPT or Doc and then you will be ready! Size your mascot to be sure it will fit into the envelopes you will be using. I typically use a brown clasp envelope that can hold a sheet of standard paper folded in half. I nest Yorkie inside the folded paper when mailing.
• Laminate them.
• Have each student write their return address with a permanent marker on the back using the SCHOOL'S ADDRESS. For some students, this will be the first time they are writing an address. I recommend sitting down in small groups to complete this task. I have also had parent volunteers take 2-3 students at a time to complete this step.

STEP 2: GATHER NAMES AND ADDRESSES

Usually in January, I send out a family letter introducing the New Yorkie project. This letter will spark excitement in the students and their families. The purpose of this note is to explain the expectations and process that we will follow to make this project a success.

On the second page of the letter there is an area where the student and parents write the names and addresses of 3 friends or family members that live somewhere in New York. It is important to make it clear to the students that they need to choose people that they believe will have the time and patience to participate. This page also has a due date to keep the parents on schedule.

Student Address Page
& Laminated Yorkie

While waiting for addresses to be returned get your Yorkie Basket "ready". I keep the following in the basket:

• the laminated Yorkies (with each student's name and school address on the back)
• pre-printed direction letter for the Yorkie recipients
• mailing envelopes
• extra Yorkies
• extra address letters for families
• markers, pencils

As the families return the addresses for each student, I put all of the addresses into my New Yorkie basket.

STEP 3: START THE ADVENTURE!

Once most of the addresses come back, I have students fill out the directions letter and address the envelopes for the first person on their list.

I send out a Yorkie too!
This is a great opportunity to connect with an educator in another school district.

This can also be done with a parent volunteer. Again, students will need explicit step-by-step directions for addressing the envelopes. I remind them to write small and neat. I also provide them a model envelope to help them plan their spacing. Students typically use a marker to fill out the envelopes. Some students will need to try more than once. Keep encouraging them, they can do it!

Students will also need to fill in the date, salutation, and closing of the directions letter.

Once their envelope and letter are done, the students stuff both their laminated New Yorkie and directions letter into the envelope. When a handful of students have completed their mailing, they go to the office to personally place their Yorkies into the outgoing mail. They love that step of the process.

STEP 4: WAITING FOR YORKIE TO RETURN

Yorkie usually takes a few weeks to come back. Once he returns the rewards sealed in the envelope will make the wait worth it! This part of the project is a great lesson in patience for the students. Each student's ability to be patient is different. Some students might ask to send out another Yorkie. I explain that they only have one and we must wait for their specific Yorkie to come back.

Since starting the project I have only had one time where Yorkie did not come back. However, I was told that Yorkie would not be returning. In that unique situation, we sent out a new one.

STEP 5: THE BULLETIN BOARD!  

Creating a bulletin board for all of the New Yorkie swag makes the project even more meaningful! I have a map of NY that I use as a focal point of the bulletin board. As the letters and memorabilia start coming in, I post them around the map. I connect a push pin (and sometimes a string) to the place where they came from. This helps the students identify their location compared to where New Yorkie has traveled.   

This Yorkie came with a QR Code to tell about his adventure!

Push pins show students where (and number of times) Yorkie has traveled

The NY Map/Bulletin Board

The students love to share with their classmates the letters and such that come in with their Yorkie. This is a great way to support the speaking and listening standards as well. After their swag has been up for a few weeks I send it home with them and put up new New Yorkie pictures and information. This gives the students a fresh bulletin board to learn from every few weeks.

STEP 6: REPEAT

Once a student’s first New Yorkie comes in, we address the envelope and fill out the letter for the next person on the list. This process helps us have a nice flow of Yorkies coming in and out. When Yorkies come back dressed up (and many, many of them do!), I keep Yorkie dressed as is and send him/her to the next person on the list.

All dressed up & showing home team spirit!

Fishing & Boating in Cape Vincent, NY

Trooper Yorkie!

This project is a great way to explore New York geography, its attractions, and history. It is amazing how creative some families are with this project. I love how it strengthens the home/school connection that helps build your academic community.

Dive in with this project! You can make up your own classroom learning mascot or use one familiar to your building/district. The rewards are well worth the time and effort.