17 February 2012

middle

Interruptions are typical for us in the middle of a school day. Rain, for instance, draws us outside and causes requests for trench digging and boat building. But today the distraction was tape. The boys asked to use the masking tape. I said yes, and didn't pay attention to what they were doing with it in the school room.
Tape ladders and bridges everywhere! This was fun to walk into, or under, over and through. Meanwhile, Sarah was reading another American Girl book- Kit. I'm so thankful for these books!

13 February 2012

more valentines

Sarah jumps right in to make her valentines.  She chose to make them attached to heart lollipops she found at the store.  After her design is made, I scan it in and print more.
Her box was something I was making from a cereal box.  I was just trying to come up with something for my students that might be easy to make in class. (not) So, after my construction of the heart was finished, she took over with purple tissue paper, purple glitter and purple ribbon for a strap. (This girl likes purple!)
Cole came up with his "mailbox" before his valentine.  He wanted a creature who could be fed valentines, so he went to work from our recycle bins.  (We keep many, many items from the recycling bin for when ideas strike.)
Mouth eating air head valentines. Who wouldn't like one?

12 February 2012

frog valentine


Chase is hilarious sometimes.  Just look at that tongue.  He cut one valentine heart after another and until all 12 were cut.  He wasn't as eager to write his name on them, so we spread that out over a few days.  (I am so thankful for SonShine Club, where we have the opportunity to share valentines with friends!)  Meanwhile, Scott (his super talented Daddy :) was building this frog mailbox for him from a cereal box:

Because, well Chase is so frog crazy.  His valentine for classmates looked like this last year, with help from Scott:


(And here's the one Scott made for him personally last year):

His frog craze began at age 3 when he first heard a Froggy book read aloud at library story time.  Since then, he's requested to dress like Froggy for Book Character Days (SonShine Club) and Fall Festivals at church.
My sweet Froggy! :)

11 February 2012

gum valentines

These were fun to make and give away!  I'm thankful to have students to make them for.  I bought a bunch of Big Red gum packs without knowing how I could use them.  Just in time, I found a creative idea on Family Fun for Cupid's Arrow - made with a pack of gum, wooden skewer, and tissue paper.  (I made them with a paper heart arrow instead of a gumdrop.) 
My students really liked them.  I'm glad to find a way to give away more than a single stick of gum.  Over the years, Cole, Sarah and I have all made and given away these matchbook style valentines.  They're inspired by Martha, made with paper, a staple and one stick of gum. 
The only tricky part to making this one is finding a pack of gum that has the pieces in individual paper sleeves.  Gum is sold so creatively these days, they're hard to find this old fashioned way!