New Classroom Setup

 Off to a new start at a new school!

This year I decided that my classroom base color would be black. (My favorite color) Then I added other splashes of color. The curtains and pillows were handmade by me and the students love them. I purchased the stools from Michael's on sale for 70% off.  All of the milk crates were donated and used to create a book nook, resource centers, and additional seating.


The room looks welcoming and the students seem to take great pride in the room. They have invited friends to come and take a look.

 My theme this year is:


COME, CHANGE, AND GROW!

Each year I write a message on each of my students' desk.

Candy Kabobs

Students made candy kabobs with a fire pit! Okay not a real fire pit. This was one of our many Fun Friday activities.

Ingredients used for the kabobs

Students making the pits

Kabobs on the skewers 

Candy Sushi

All the ingredients used for the activity

Students make each roll and add candies

Maki style with chop sticks

Nigiri Style

The students had a great time and learned a lot about sushi.

Making Critter In A Soap!

The students made "Critter In A Soap! This was a fun activity and very easy to do. 

The ingredients and supplies

We melted glycerin soap in a microwavable measuring cup, added fragrance and color, and then poured into the plastic egg.  

Duct tape was used to seal holes and opening of the egg to make sure no leaks occurred. The glycerin was pour in one side of the egg and cooled for an hour or so, and we did the same thing to other side of the egg and connected both pieces. The kids removed the soap from the egg. We did have issues with filling the glycerin inside of the plastic egg and connecting the two parts. Overall, they turned out nice.  

Painting In The Classroom

One of the main relaxation activities I share with my students is the love of painting and drawing.
I found this activity on Pinterest, and my students had a great time painting on canvas. I found packs of 10 (8x11) canvas on sale for less than $10.00!

Look at what they created:

Use painters' tape to form designs before painting

This student decided to paint a police officer

Sewing With Felt

For this project, the students made pillows using templates for the letter of their first name. I was extremely nervous about allowing the students to use needles and pins! As extra precaution, they were given expectations for use of tools and materials. 

The students practiced on their blanket stitching abilities prior to cutting and sewing the pillows. For my younger students, I cut out the letter and had my para-professionals to work closely with them. 

Here is an example of one of the pillows:

Templates used for each student

This student added dots!

Jewelry Art In The Class

Often I am on the hunt for activities that are creative, fun, and relaxing for my students to enjoy. Each week during the school year, students are able to participate in Fun Friday. This is part of my positive behavioral management system in which students earn additional activities and other rewards. 

This activity involved the students making necklaces and earrings for their mothers and caregivers. It was interesting to see the level of student engagement and stamina while creating their sets. They were able to collaborate ideas and help peers that struggled with design or construction of their sets. Here are the finished projects!

Students creating patterns and color schemes

The finish project