Gearing up for WInter...and a last minute FREEBIE!

Good Evening, blogging buddies! Kerri here...
This past weekend was pretty rough for me, and I was so happy to get back to my kidlets this morning (after hugging my own kidlets extra extra all weekend). Even though they have FULLY embraced the HOLIDAY spirit (if you know what I mean...), I am still so so thankful for each and every one of them, and my heart aches for the families in Connecticut.

We are in the final stages of our HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA SUPER CRAZY WEEK over here in my neck of the first grade woods. Here is a little peek at our Parent gifts (all finished, thanks to my FAB student teacher!!), as well as the Magic Elf letters we wrote today...

I gave them choices and they almost ALL chose snowmen!! Can't say I blame them...I heart snowmen too!!

Our Magic Elf letters were HILARIOUS! My kids took it sooo seriously, and most of them want Magic Elf to write back. YIKES! Maybe we have a little problem??

I love this: "Can you tell Santa that Santa is my favorite guy?"

Question of the day: "Am I on the nice list??"

This one was the best: "This is what I want for Christmas. A dog. A girl dog. So my cat Maury can have a stepsister." CLASSIC!!!

I am also gearing up for the Loooonnng month of January when we come back, and I will be using these fun Wintery centers that I created last year (click on each picture to take a closer look)...

Arctic Life...

Winter Games...

Winter Words Writing Pack...

And coming soon soon soon, to feed my obsession with snowmen...

I cannot wait to get these ready for my kidlets!!

Finally, here is a little Dice game FREEBIE if you are still in school this week like me. Since my kids are SOOO full of the Holiday Spirit, I thought a little dice adding, ornament coloring activity would keep them quiet engaged and learning for maybe, possibly, 20-30 minutes (hopefully? Fingers crossed??)

Click on the tree below to download your own copy via Google Docs!

3 1/2 more days for me, friends!! And then, on Saturday, for my Hubs and my 14th anniversary, we're going to see the Hobbit and dinner (giddy squeal!!)
Hang in there, peeps! Unless you're already on vacay, well then, whatever! Jealous...

Kerri B

ANOTHER Magic Elf Freebie and more Holiday art!

Hi Peeps!! Kerri here...I am going out tonight for one of my Bestie's birthdays to BJ's (can you say PIZOOKIE!!) so I'm gonna keep it quick!

I made another Magic Elf FREEBIE for those of you who purchased my Magic Elf Unit (Thanks so much!!) It is a Magic Elf Acrostic Poem paper! YAY!! WE made ours as a class today and theu came up with FANTASTIC ideas. Check it out (along with our Magic Elf art!!)

I love the last one, "Fills our buckets!" OH MY WORD...what a proud teacher moment!!
Click on the picture below to download your own copy!

You can still pick up your Magic Elf unit from TPT! It's not too late, I promise you. You can do this unit in only 1 or 2 weeks. PLUS, you get all the freebies that I have been posting as a BONUS!! Who doesn't love bonuses?? My kids were SO RIDICULOUS on Tuesday that Magic Elf didn't move on Wednesday and they were HORRIFIED. Their behavior made a complete 180 and he ended up moving at lunch time! They were VERY relieved! I tell you, he is MAGIC!!

Click on the pic to go to my TPT store...

We also finished our Snowman Plaque  Parent gifts today and they are SO STINKING CUTE!!

 Don't mind the FUGLY, super old dropcloth. It has been with me for years and serves it's purpose so well!!
Here are a couple of other art projects we have made. We have the kids make a family wreath at home and we display them after they bring them in. They always do such a fantastic job, and they all turn out so unique!!

AND...we made our reindeer which are always a sight to behold!! I love their crazy eyes!! Let me know if you want the dimensions...

One more craft we will be making next week is this little beauty...

Pipe cleaners, pony beads, and yarn. Easy peasy, and they look so pretty on a Christmas tree! Hope you can use one or more of my ideas!!
Gotta jet...BJ's is calling my name!!

Magic Elf FREEBIE and Winter Words

Hi Peeps! Kerri here...
Aren't Lindsay's Santas ADORABLE!! I heart them!! She invented that one and I am SOOO making him next week!
As promised, I have another Magic Elf FREEBIE for you! It is a Magic Elf Sentence Scramble for your Literacy Centers! YAY!!

 You can download it from TPT, and while you're there, you can pick up your Winter Words Writing Pack...

because January will be here before we know it. Especially if you only have 2 weeks left in December, like I do! Here's what you get...

 Words Mat/Book Cover/Lined Paper-

Make several copies of the Winter Words on cardstock and laminate for durability. Copy writing paper back to back ( I use 6 pages per book and this lasts the whole month) and fold in half to make a little book, with the cover on the front. I copy the cover on colored paper to make it more festive! :)

Use this writing activity in your writing center for the whole month and allow the kids to write describing sentences about each Winter word, one word per page.

1. Winter Words ABC Order-

Cut apart laminated Winter Words mats to make individual cards. Students choose 5 words, place in ABC order, and illustrate!

 Winter Story Writing Paper-

Use individual cut up Winter Word cards. Students choose 2-3 cards and write a story using lots of describing words, and then illustrate their story in the box.

Winter Making Words-

Students choose a picture from the Winter Words Mat, write it in the box, and illustrate it. Next, they find the letters to spell the word. (Letters included in packet-copy and laminate as many sets as you need for students to use). Students will make as many words as they can using the letters from the Winter word that they chose and write in the boxes.

1. Winter Words Match-Ups-

Students will match up each Cut-up winter word card to the laminated sentence card that describes it. After matching, students will choose 5 pictures, write the corresponding sentence on the lines, and illustrate the pictures on the back. 

Click on the preview above to got to my TPT store where you can get the Magic Elf FREEBIE and your Winter Words Writing Pack!!

I'm off to church, then errands, then a Ducks Hockey Game! Never been before. I'm excited!

Magic Elf art!!

TGIF!! I am so so happy it's Friday already! Only 10 more teaching days to go (but who's counting, right??) Do any of you have to teach until the 23rd?? That would be HORRIFIC! But, we have to come back January 2nd, which is almost as bad. :( 
Guess who's gonna be doing laundry and going grocery shopping on New Years Day? Yup, that would be me. Grrr....

As promised, here is the Magic Elf art to go along with my Magic Elf unit on TPT...

Disclaimer... (picture me standing on a soapbox) I never, ever, ever, use patterns or tracers in my classroom. All of the art I have my students make is either a direct draw project or cut and paste using squares and rectangles that are turned into circles and ovals. This Magic Elf project is created only using glue and scissors, NO PENCIL, no drawing the pieces before cutting. I know it sounds scary, but IT REALLY WORKS, and the kids learn how to be creative, independent, problem solvers! Plus, each one is TOTALLY unique and it forces the kids to LOOK, LISTEN, and LEARN. Okay, off the soapbox. :)
 I created this elf a few years ago when I taught Kinder, and he has been a class favorite ever since. Here he is....

Here's what you need and the dimensions for each piece. Per child, you need (in inches):


1 green = 7 x 4 for the body/chest (cut the top corners and round)


6 yellow squares = 1x1 for bells (make a "magic circle"-cut the big corners and then the baby corners)


5 red rectangles = 1 1/2 x 2 for the triangle collar (cut a diagonal piece from each side meeting at the top)


1 peach square = 5x5 for the head (magic circle)


1 peach rectangle = 1 1/2 x 5 folded in half for the ears (if it is folded they only need to cut once and they get 2 pieces!) (cut an elf ear shape...I don't know how to describe it, but this part turns out the best because the ears the kids come up with are H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S!)


1 red rectangle = 1 1/2 x 6 for the brim of the hat (magic oval. Same as a magic circle but it turns into an oval)


1 green square = 4x4 for the top of the hat (fold in half. Cut diagonally and unfold. You will get a great triangle!)


1 pink = 2x1 for the cheeks (fold in half, cut one magic circle and you will get 2 when you unfold it)


I always start from the bottom and work my way up when showing my students each step, so you can make sure they have glued it correctly leaving space at the top and as you can see, we add detail with sharpie.  :) 
We will be gluing our Magic Elf letters next to the art and I also save these for our end of the year "First Grade Adventure" book.
Hope you can use him with your class! I'll be back this weekend with another Magic Elf freebie! BTW, today my students wrote Christmas is a time for "love" in their little books and their illustrations were darling. Warms my heart!
Kerri B

I'm so excited!!

Hi Peeps! Kerri here...
I'm soooo excited cause tomorrow I get to introduce Magic Elf!! He is all set up and ready to roll...

AND...I found another super adorable elf at VONS today for only $6!! Check out this cutie!!

His name is Winkle! Isn't that too cute?? You can pick one up for yourself if you have a VONS near you to go with my Magic Elf unit (click on pic to go to my store)! 

I'm also excited because we have started Cara Carroll's Moon unit (click here) that I purchased and the kids are OVER THE MOON (excuse the pun!) about it. Like seriously into it. They also can't wait to take home the moon bag and draw what it looks like each night (such a FABULOUS idea from Cara!!) Here is my moon bag...isn't it pretty??

Okay, that's all for now. Gotta go make me some enchiladas for dinner! Yummy!!
BTW, I would LOVE to know how Magic Elf is going in your classroom! Please, pretty please, leave me some comments if and when you start using it. :)

Another Magic Elf Freebie, revised Magic Elf unit, and world's most embarassing moment!!!

Aaarrgh!! I made a tiny boo boo on the Magic Elf unit!! I forgot the word "to" in the first clue!! BOO! I am so sorry! I have revised it, so you can re-download it if you want to from TPT-or you can verbally add the word "to" when you read the clue to your kiddies. :) Sooo sorry, friends!


 I'm gonna keep it short tonight, seeing as how I stopped up the garbage disposal last night and my husband had to work his booty off to fix it (ON his birthday, no less!!), so today I have a mountain of dishes that didn't get done AND my kitchen in total disarray. I owe my husband, big time!! (Sorry, Pook!)


Thank you, my Peeps, SOO much for purchasing my Magic Elf unit on TPT!! I got a comment from Amy, who is already using it and she said her kiddos are SO EXCITED!! I'm not starting mine until December 1st, but you can use it for 1, 2, or 3 weeks! There are enough clues for the whole month, but a week long unit will work wonders too! Click on the link to check it out!

Here is another Magic Elf writing paper that you can use this month. This one has a cutey cute border from DJ Inkers. Click on the elf to download!

I'll be back on Thursday or Friday with Magic Elf Art, and I will be posting more freebies the whole month. so keep checking back!


Last thing, my embarassing moment today.  I woke up with my allergies OUT. OF. CONTROL. Like a whole box of kleenex, about a brazillion sneezes, and my nose running like MAD. It was seriously making me CRAZY. During our reading lesson, (An Egg is an Egg-cute story) I bent my head over the big book to read, and SNOT literally dripped out of my nose onto the book, for God and all 24 Firsties to see. GREAT!! Of course, they were disgusted, as was I, and I had to jump up to grab a kleenex to stop the flow. I cannot express how mortifying it was...seriously! I can only imagine the dinner conversation tonight that my Firsties will have with their parents...(insert imagination bubble)  "Today, Mrs. B got snot all over the book she was reading! It was soooo gross!" Sigh.


Toodles!!

Magic Elf FREEBIE, and Cyber Monday TPT Sale!

Hey Friends! Kerri here. How cute is he??

I'm in love with his cuteness!! I ordered him ON Thanksgiving and he arrived today! That is some kind of service!! Here is the link to the ebay store I got him from: click here
I had to get a new elf, because my Magic Elf from last year is "hiding" somewhere in my classroom and I CANNOT find him! Oh wait, isn't that the point?? Maybe he'll magically show up on December 1st! HA!


Thank you sooo much to those of you who have already purchased my Magic Elf activity packet:

Click here to go to my store!

Here is a freebie to go along with my Magic Elf activity packet on TPT (the clip art is DJ Inkers, hence I could not include it!) Every day, Magic Elf will "catch" 2 or 3 kiddos who were showing the true meaning of Christmas and leave a little note on their desks. On the last day before Winter Break, all the kids will have received a note and they will get to turn it in for a special gift from Magic Elf, which in my classroom is...wait for it...BRAND NEW CRAYONS!! YIPPEE! Since most of my kids have broken, lost, or eaten their crayons from September (seriously!!), these will be perfect for the New Year!
Click on the photo below to snag a copy!

Also, here is the code for the SUPER FABULOUS Cyber Monday sale TPT is throwing! All of the items in my store will be 20% off, plus an extra 10% off using the discount code below! 30% off!! I know I plan on taking advantage of it...there are quite a few beauties on my wishlist as we speak!!

I'll be back later this week with my Magic Elf art project (CUTENESS BEYOND ALL REASON!!) and I'll be posting more Magic Elf freebies all month, so stay tuned!!
XOXO Kerri B

Giveaway Winner, Magic Elf, and Black Friday SALE!!

Hi Friends! Kerri here...
Happy Thanksgiving! I don't know about all of you, but I. AM. STUFFED. What a day of PURE DELICIOUSNESS, thank you to my wonderful mother-in-law, and my mom and step-dad's fantastic cooking. I just brought rolls and pumpkin cheesecake (both store bought...don't judge) so I cannot take ANY credit for today's Thanksgiving feast! But it sure was YUM!


In other news...WE HAVE A WINNER, WINNER, TURKEY DINNER!


Random Number Generator (which I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to capture as a screen shot so I can show you the actual number! Grrr...) chose Number 28!!

Delighted said...

I follow your blog.

First Grade Delight

YAY!! I will email you, First Grade Delight with all of the details so you can choose your framed print from Karen's ETSY store!


I am SOO excited about this...

 ...my newest activity packet that I just uploaded to my TPT store!

Magic Elf!

If your students are anything like mine, the holidays tend to make them extra rambunctious. Last year, I introduced them to “Magic Elf” and it truly was like magic happened in my classroom! My students became more engaged, more motivated, and better behaved because they knew “Magic Elf” was looking for good behavior that he could report back to Santa, as well as teaching them about the true meaning of Christmas, which we all know is so much more than presents! I bought my “Magic Elf” on Ebay (see picture), but you can use any elf that you find in any store.  I have included in this packet a “Magic Elf” clip art buddy for you to use if you cannot find a suitable stuffed elf. Just laminate him and hide him in your class as you would a stuffed elf! :) 4 activities are included for the month of December:

Magic Elf and Daily Messages-Purchase a stuffed elf or laminate the clip art elf that is included in this packet. Laminate messages for durability and cut out. Each morning before your students arrive, hide “Magic Elf” somewhere in your classroom along with one of his messages about the true meaning of Christmas. I have included 17 days worth of messages, so you can choose the ones that work best for you, depending on how many days you are in school the month of December. 

Story Paper-Students can write a story about Magic Elf visiting their classroom, and then illustrate their story.

Magic Elf Letter-Students can use the writing paper to write a letter to Magic Elf about what he has taught them, or what they would like him to tell Santa!

Magic Elf Book-Copy the cover and inside pages back to back, including as many inside pages as there are school days in December. Instruct students to draw Magic Elf on the cover. Every day, after reading Magic Elf’s clue each morning to your students, instruct them to write what Magic Elf’s meaning of Christmas was for the day and illustrate what that means to them.At the end of the month, your students will have their own book on the meaning of Christmas to take home and share with their parents!

Click on the picture above to go to my TPT store! In honor of Black Friday (which I plan on sleeping through!), all of my products will be 20% off starting tomorrow, all the way through Tuesday! Let the madness begin! You can also pick up your Holiday Words writing pack for 20% off...Whoot whoot!

Talk to you soon, blogging buddies!