Classroom Treasure Chests

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

This is one of the coolest classroom treasure chests I’ve ever seen! The teacher found this old chest at Michael’s, and then glued plastic gems on it to add to the “treasure” effect.

You don’t need a cool box for your treasure chest. I used a woven basket with a lid. Other teachers just use a cute gift bag or a decorated plastic box. The point is to find something that will motivate your students, and be manageable for you.

MUST-READ TIP: My first year, I put all the prizes in the box at the beginning of the year. This was a big NO-NO. After a few months, all the good stuff was picked out and the kids weren’t very motivated by the basket. So I had to constantly worry about what new stuff to add and what to do with the stuff that wasn’t ever getting picked. So, don’t put all your prizes in at once. Instead, split your stuff into 4 groups (or some other number) so you can add new stuff every quarter.

Here are some things you can put in your classroom treasure chest:

candy (some schools have a policy against this, so check with your principal)
pencils
stickers
coupons (click here for coupon ideas)
coloring pages
holiday stuff (click here for ideas)
junk from catalogues like Oriental Trading Company, etc.

The Poor Teacher’s Classroom Rug

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Classrooms need carpet space for the whole class to sit and learn during various activities. One challenge with this (besides finding space in your classroom) is getting kids to have their own space in a place where they can listen and learn best. Many teachers have found it helpful to use a large rug with individual squares for each student. But what if your budget doesn’t allow for such a purchase? Let me introduce the poor teacher’s classroom carpet!

Just go to the store and purchase different colors of duct tape and make one yourself! You can choose the colors, number of rows and size of each square. Be sure your school’s facilities policies allow the use of tape on the floor before doing this.

Classroom Coupons UPDATED

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Sometimes it’s hard to come up with good ideas for classroom coupons. So I’ve searched for the 20 best coupon ideas I could find. Here they are (in no particular order):

Wear a hat
Sit at the teacher’s desk
Sit in a special chair at your desk
Use a pen
Piece of candy
Choose your classroom job
Sit with a buddy
Bring a stuffed animal
Read a book to the class
5 bonus points
Skip one night’s homework
Positive note to parents
10 minutes free computer time
Late work pass
Bring a show and tell item
Lunch with the teacher
Choose a song to play during end-of-the-day clean up time
Choose your spot in line
Go to lunch 2 minutes early
1 free word on a spelling test

Here’s a sheet for you to use for your classroom Coupons. I recommend printing out this page and then writing your desired rewards on the page before copying it. You can write your initials on the “signed” line or just use a special teacher stamp to make sure the coupon is authentic. When I taught sixth grade, as a matter of principle, I never signed them ahead of time. If a kid chose a coupon as their prize from the prize box, I would write their name on it and sign it then.

Click here for the free printable PDF: Classroom Coupons PDF

The Soccer Champ (grammar worksheet)

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Free grammar practice worksheet (and a reminder of the value of practice). Happy day to you!

Toaster Tongs (Fun Mother’s Day Craft)

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

My grandma used to help us make these when we were little. They’re awesome. I mean, how awkward is it to try and get hot toast out of the toaster? Problem solved with a clothes pin and 2 fat wooden craft sticks.

Just glue 2 sticks to the clothes pin (so that they can pinch together) and decorate with markers, paint, puffy paint, etc. Don’t use glitter (it comes off and lands in the toaster) or crayon (the wax melts). Here are some examples a 2nd grade class made:

Mother’s Day Card (Updated)

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Here’s a simple idea for a Mother’s Day card. Easy prep, easy to complete, and fun for moms to receive!

1. Fold a piece of construction paper into a card (you can use the regular size or the 11″ x 17″ size).

2. Complete this page (click here: Mother’s Day card – inside) and glue it inside. NOTE: The PDF file has 2 different sizes for you to choose from, depending on how big you;re making the card.

3. Decorate the outside. Ta-da!

mother's day letter

Crafty Paper Roller-Coaster

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Seeing this project made my heart melt. This is a craft I saw in a kindergarten class. It’s a paper roller-coaster! The teacher talked about primary colors and then let them use strips of colored construction paper to build roller-coasters! They used card stock for the base and regular white glue to build the coaster. I just love it!

I took these pictures a few days after they did the project, so the paper isn’t as strong and got kinda floppy. Sorry!

What You Need to Know About Mother’s Day

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Here’s a free worksheet for kids that discusses the history and significance of Mother’s Day. Reading comprehension questions at the bottom. A huge thank you to all those loving moms out there!

Click here for the free printable PDF: Mother’s Day