Monday Made Its in August!

August - It's crunch time, people!  I am officially in panic mode.

I am linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics to share some things that I have been crafting.

This is what my "Pick Me" sticks looked like last year - I used the students' names.

Teacher Tip:  I finally wised up and wrote the names on pieces of clear Scotch tape vs. writing the names directly on the sticks themselves, which was causing me to repaint them each summer.

I was pleased to see that they easily peeled off and the tape did not take the paint off.  Yay!

I made the decision to use a student numbering system in my classroom for the first time ever and I think I am going to love it.  So this time around, I wrote numbers on our "Pick Me" sticks, so I should never have to update them again.

Next up are the magnets for our Homework Club board.

I used some circle magnets (I think I found them in the Target Dollar Spot last summer) and flat colored duct tape.

At first I was tracing the magnets on the colored side of the duct tape, which was leaving black marks after I cut out the circles.  Then I started to do the tracing on the back.  Duh Amber.

I did use one roll of green duct tape and this was more difficult to do (vs. the flat duct tape), but I got 'er done.  I just had to cut around the magnets.

So they looked like this when I was done tracing and cutting.

I found these perfect number stickers at Walmart.

Like I mentioned earlier, I am using student numbers, so I should never have to update these in the future.  Awesome!

This is the final product.  I quite like our Homework Club board!

I bought those pink magnetic borders at a local teacher store and I love them as they really define the space!  I left the bottom part open because I will be hanging superior student work there.

You might have read in one of my earlier blog posts that I attended a Whole Brain Teaching Conference.  I picked up a great tip there:  If you want to announce a really big, important point to your students and you REALLY want to make sure you have everyone's undivided attention, call out "Class / Yes," then "Hands and Eyes" and stand under a big arrow that hangs high on your wall or from your ceiling so you can make your "really big point."  Clever!

I just learned that this idea originally came from Chris Biffle's new book, Whole Brain Teaching: 122 Amazing Games, which is on my wish list.

I found this Kohls Cares "Go Dog Go!" chair a few years ago at a huge children's consignment event for only a few bucks.  I still love it because it is a perfect size for my little ones, but I was not in love with the colors.  So I spray painted it and I am happier!  Buuuut - even though I flipped the fabrics parts around, you can still see the "Go Dog Go!" prints.  Any ideas on how I can hide or change these?  I am on the hunt for a small, cute seat cushion, but I am not so sure I will find one.  Hmmmmm.  Help!?

You may remember these curtains from my previous classroom.  I am SO LUCKY to have the same set-up (shelves under windows) in my new classroom, so I can continue to use these curtains that I worked hard to make last summer!  

However, I was short one curtain, so (with the help of my mom) I whipped up the green and white chevron one last weekend.

My parents gave me my very own brand new sewing machine for my birthday last year.  It was on my wish list, so I was super excited to start making all the cute projects I had pinned on Pinterest.  Well - almost a year later, I finally used it for the first time. Haha!

I bought too much fabric, so I whipped up an extra curtain in case anything happens to any of the others.  But instead of storing it away, I decided to use it as a valance for now.  It is a bit short on the sides, but it is better than an empty, bare window.

That's it!  I hope to squeeze in another Monday Made It next week before the school year begins.  Thanks for stopping by!  :)