Calming Construction Boxes

Well in just 11 short days teachers in my district report back to school. This is our first year starting school before Labor Day so we lost 2 weeks of our traditional summer vacation. I'm frantically trying to finish up all the things on my to do list and finally completed this project. 

Last year, our school counselor introduced "Zones of Regulation" to my 2nd graders and I knew I wanted to do more to support this initiative. We also are a "Caring School Communities" school and integrate social and emotional learning into each day. 

At the beginning of the year we'll talk about these boxes and complete our booklets to use as a resource when students need to "take a break."

Here's a list of the materials I used, I made 3 boxes for my class:

• 3 Clear Plastic Pencil Boxes
• 3 Plastic Colored Rings
• Make It Blocks from Dollar Tree (Legos, Building Bricks)
• Mini Cups
• Hashtag Blocks
• Dough
• Straw Connectors

If you'd like to implement this in your own classroom, the materials are located here: Calming Construction Boxes. I included 6 task cards in each box.
I do not charge for the materials I create, however I do accept donations via Paypal, CashApp and TpT Class Fund. 

Cash App: $teachingoasis

TpT Class Fund

Ingenuity Lab

I'm two weeks into my summer vacation and I've just about completed my first summer project. Last week, I sat in on interviews for a 7th teammate and my principal asked candidates a very important question. "What are some ways you will accommodate for learning and emotional gaps that students may show?" You see, this particular group of rising 2nd graders had their Kindergarten year cut short by the pandemic and then could have possibly spent their entire first grade year in the virtual learning setting. I'm already  looking to be either  trained in Youth Mental First Aid or Trauma Informed Care but it's going to take much more than that to meet these students where they are. 

One idea I want to implement is an Ingenuity Lab (ingenuity is one of our school system's core values). I decided I wanted to start our days off with creativity. So instead of traditional morning work, students will come in and grab their bin for the week and complete that day's challenge. This is very similar to morning tubs or morning missions as I've also seen them called. 

I made 24 bins. 2 of each type of material. I didn't have to purchase much, I already had most of the supplies I wanted to use on hand.  In each bin I included a ring of 7 task cards. 4 picture cards and 3 three-dimensional shape cards. I could have used more consumable materials like index cards, tape, craft sticks, pipe cleaners, etc. however I wanted something low maintenance considering the students will use these each day. 
Here's a list of the materials I used:

• 24 containers (plastic pencil boxes would be perfect)
• 24 plastic colored rings (metal rings could also work)
• mini cups
• puffy snowflakes
• straw constructor
• creative flakes
• hashtag blocks
• dough & toothpicks
• linking cubes
• foam base 10 blocks
• magnetic shapes
• wooden planks
• foam pattern blocks
• building bricks (Dollar Tree has Make-It Blocks that would also be perfect for this)

If you'd like to implement this in your own classroom, the materials are located here: Ingenuity Lab. 

I Survived the 20/21 School Year!

Thursday, June 17th was the last day of school! I pray I never have to experience what I've had to experience ever again. 
I walked away from this school year with nothing left... I poured it all into my students, colleagues, school community... all of it. One day in May, I was at school and got terribly dizzy and my head started to pound. I went to the nurse and my blood pressure was 168/108 and my heart rate was 135. I was sitting in my doctors office three days later being prescribed anti-anxiety meds. And I must say...after five weeks, I finally feel like myself again and I'm even losing weight because I'm not eating my emotions anymore.
I'm definitely looking forward to the healing and restoration that only summer vacation can provide.  Here's a photo of my #teamBFF and I the last week of school with our matching shirts that say "Together, through it all, we made it!" We haven't been on the same team in three years but she is still my rock and one of the few things I looked forward to this school year, being able to spend time with her everyday at school. 
I desperately needed a break from the environment I've been in for the last ten months, so I'll be teaching summer school at a different location. I was very close to changing my mind but after the pay went from $25 an hour to $40 an hour I figured I could teach four hours a day for fifteen days this summer... then go on a nice shopping spree 😁. 
My days have been filled with redesigning my classroom Google site. I used buttons from this product I found on TpT (Google Sites Web Design) along with elements from my Canvas page this past school year. 

Completing our team long range plans for next school year.

And taking naps. Oh...and I cut my hair off back in April and decided to stop color treating it and embrace my gray. This low maintenance hair style has been the change I needed in my life!

EOY: Beach Party

It's been so long since I've had the opportunity to write a blog post! My district went hybrid back in October, back to all virtual in December, then FULL TIME... every student, five days a week beginning in February. By the time that happened I had had 1 of 2 vaccine shots so I felt a little better about having 20 second graders in my classroom all day long. Where we learn, eat breakfast, lunch and snack and even have music. It's a lot to adjust to. Luckily, I have not had any student that needed to quarantine during this time so I could focus my time on planning classroom lessons and not planning for students at home as well. 

This school year is winding down and I'm planning our end of the year party. In the past, I've done a Hawaiian Luncheon where I made hawaiian Meatballs, ham and turkey sandwiches on hawaiian sweet rolls. The days of me cooking for my students are gone and due to Covid restrictions our classroom party this year will look different.

I decided to have a Beach Party. Students will dress is beach/ tropical attire and I plan to decorate the room, Party City has some great items. Here are the activities I have planned:

• eat beach themed snacks (Pinterest has tons of ideas)
• play board games
• Kidz Bop 2021 Dance Party

End of the Year Memory Bracelets

Ocean Coloring Book

Build a Sandcastle

How are you planning to celebrate the end of this unprecedented school year?