Happy Spring - Happy Earth Day!

It's finally spring, although yesterday we had some snow here and today it is only in the mid 40's!  Yikes!  Well, regardless of our weather we are excited about this year's upcoming Earth Day holiday!

There are so many fun things that you can do to celebrate earth day!  This year we began by spending time learning all about taking care of earth!  Some years we actually go and visit the local recycling center but this year with all our snow days, it did not work out for use to go but if you have one near your school you should consider going there as a field trip.  It’s pretty cheap (just the cost of buses) and the kids LOVE it!!

After we read some wonderful mentor texts like The Great Kapok Tree, and Just a Dream, we read a wonderful non-fiction texts called Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer.

Then kids were ready to write an opinion piece about why we should take care of earth!  I love reading their opinions after all our research!  

They did a great job!  If you are interested in doing this project, check out my earth opinion/informational writing unit in my TPT store.  It has a graphic organizer, final draft, craft and a few fun earth day word work activities.

I also loved having my kiddos write an earth day poem!  Check out this fun freebie by Lisa Lilienthal

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-Acrostic-Poem-Freebie-569440

Gingerbread Crafts & Freebies

Every year I like to have my students create a special holiday present for their parents and for the past few years we have been making these super cute gingerbread ornaments. 

The first step is to cut the men out using sandpaper from the dollar store.  I usually cut these out ahead of time because cutting sandpaper can be very challenging for those little student scissors.  

Once they are cut, I have students rub a cinnamon stick over them to give them a yummy smell and then glue them to a piece of brown construction paper.  

I let the gingerbread men dry overnight and then students can cut out around the brown construction paper and begin the decorating!  

Gingerbread men can be decorated with crayons, puff balls & goggly eyes.  To finish them off you just have to punch a hole in the top & add a ribbon to hang it from.  It takes us a couple of days to finish these adorable gingerbread ornaments but they are so worth it! 

Now for the FREEBIE!  Gingerbread Adjective Craftivity!  Check this out in my TPT store, you can  have students create their own gingerbread person using construction paper and then use adjectives to describe them. There is also an alternative follow up Create Your Own Gingerbread Person adjective practice worksheet included!

Thanks for stopping by!  What are some of the fun things you make for parent gifts this time of year?  What do you you give your students?