Primary Chalkboard

Party with Gingy!!


Happy Holidays all!! As we look back on Sandy Hook yesterday, I am thankful everyday to be able to love and hug on my two little loves, Gabriel and Aidan! They do drive me nuts but I love them to pieces! One of the things that I really like to focus on in my classroom is to create memories for families by hosting events in the classroom! So this week, I hosted a Gingerbread Decorating event in my classroom! It was total fun! Look at all the great houses!





It was really easy to plan and the families pretty much take care of all the work!! And I have all the files you will need to plan your Gingerbread party! 



Click on the picture to download your invitation for FREE! And I have also included a family donation list of ALL the items you will need to make your houses and sugar cone Christmas trees. Some tips:

*You will need LOTS of frosting!! I assigned two items per student (if possible). I put food colouring in two canisters of the frosting for the Christmas trees and it was more than enough. Then I coloured some other canisters of frosting (blue, red, purple) and put them in bags to pipe icing onto their houses. 




*I placed one canister of frosting per 2 students but you will have more than enough if you place one canister of frosting for 4 students. I also gave one package of graham crackers for each student and this was more than enough!

*Save the milk cartons from lunch to be the base of your gingerbread houses!!! I rinsed and dried them out then stapled them shut.

*Seems like it would just make sense but one year I forgot, make sure each student gets a plastic knife! Not pretty spreading frosting with a spoon! ha!

*Use muffin tins to hold all the materials. I also lined them with cupcake liners for easy cleanup! Don't forget to cover your tables with paper. If I had it, I would've covered my tables with wrapping paper for a more festive look! 

*Use a sturdy plate like the Chinet brand plates to place your gingerbread houses on! I liked the oval ones.. They had more than enough room for all their things!! 

* Show examples of gingerbread houses, Sugar cone Christmas trees, graham cracker sleighs... Don't have a presentation?? NO WORRIES!! I have one for you!! Click on the image below for another free hook-up... I mean, download!!!


Here are a few more pics! 








Overall, it was a great day! When it was all said and done, I had a holiday bingo game out and a holiday photo booth with props made by a wonderful room mom I have!! 




Totally fun times!!! Loved every minute of it and I wasn't stressed because the families did most of the work (even helped clean up!!! They are the best!!) and all I did was take pictures and help out here and there! 

I hope that you will have a Gingerbread decorating par-tay like we did because they are totally fun and you can't go wrong with icing and candy!! They just spell fun and holidays! LOL!!

If you are looking for more holiday ideas, please stop back on our Primary Chalkboard and also come by and see me on my blog this week for a sweet idea and an easy way to package it for your families. Inexpensive, too!!)


Merry Christmas to you and Happy New Year! 

Love to you!
Leslie



Sweet Holiday Measuring!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Happy Holidays, Winter! lol...I'm not sure what you are allowed to call it at your school, but in most places it has become "winter" instead of Christmas!

These measuring ideas, however, could be used for measuring during this month, no matter WHAT you call it!

My measurement unit normally doesn't fall during the holidays, but this year it did, which has been a BLAST! We've measured with holiday flavored M&M's, candy canes, gingerbread men...you name it!




My camera wasn't with me when we did our candy cane measuring yesterday, but it was so much fun! I brought in mini and regular sized candy canes and had students first estimate the lengths of objects, then measure them with their mini and regular candy canes. YUMMY non-standard units are so fun!!!

I made this FREEBIE to go along with this candy cane measuring center! Feel free to grab it and if you like it, please leave me some feedback! CLICK here to download this free math center!

Thanks for stopping by!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :)


Remembering Sandy Hook

Paper Craftiness For December

Aloha friends, it's Corinna from Surfin' Through Second.  


I am posting some fun and easy paper crafts for your kiddos for the month of December.  I do these every year and my students always enjoy making these simple crafts.

The first is a construction paper stocking.  I often have students who do not celebrate Christmas, so I make a winter stocking.

 I use cool colored construction paper and make several stocking templates that have
holes punched around them.
 Fold a 12x18 piece in half and have your students trace their stocking.
 Once they cut it out, have them hole punch the two sides together.
 Then give them a piece of yarn to sew their pieces together.
 Students then use 3-4 cotton balls for the fur.  Just pull them apart slightly 
so they don't look so round.
 Then I write their name in cursive with glue and let them glitter it up.


 They really love making these!  Just make sure for your younger crew
to add a piece of masking tape at the end of the yarn so it doesn't unravel.

Click {HERE} for the stocking template.

 This is another fun and easy craft.
 Draw diagonal lines with markers on a 8.5 x 11 piece of Xerox paper.
 Rolle it up tight and then fold it over on the top.  You can make lots of different
colors.  Once your students make one they will want to make more!
They can put their candy canes right in their stockings or use them to decorate.


If you are looking for something  more challenging you 
can always have your students Elf themselves.

This is a bit more complicated, but makes a super cute ornament.  Just click
on the picture to grab this freebie template.

I hope these crafts will help keep your little elves busy and happy during this month!!

                                                              

FREEBIE - Find, Tally & Graph Christmas

I'm so happy to be dropping by for a super-dee-duper quick little post today! 

Lisa here, from Growing Firsties...

I just love the holiday season...though I will say my to-do list is eleventy million miles long!! Surely, you're in the same situation!!!


My class has been BEGging me for another Find, Tally, Graph...so I obliged...and wanted to share with you, too!!!!

Just click the pic to snag it up. :)

The warmest of holidays to you all!!!

Would love for you to stop by and say hello over at Growing Firsties...

Cyber Monday (and Tuesday) Sale!

It's coming, teachers!
We absolutely love the Cyber Monday sale that Teachers Pay Teachers throws. 
You get 20% off of most products and an extra 10% off from TPT with a special code at checkout. 

The girls over at Primary Chalkboard are all putting their stores at 20% off! 
And then our wonderful website is adding another 10% on top of that.


Go on... go shopping!! 
Click on our buttons to see our stores.

  

  

  

    

  
 
 
  
   


Don't forget the code:
CYBER
when you're checking out!