Hooray! It's Almost the 100th Day!

The 100th Day of School is one of my favorite celebrations throughout the entire school year.  The kids get SO pumped and, if I'm being honest, I get even more excited than them!

Evidence #1...I ordered this shirt from Teacher T-Shirts and I am pumped!  In years past, I tried to be creative (i.e. - stick 100 safety pins on a shirt, stuff like that), but I don't have the time for that anymore.  Besides, this shirt is ADORABLE!  Aaannnd I was able to use a 20% off coupon that the kind people of Teacher T-Shirts so graciously donated to us attendees at the Midwest Teacher Blogger Meet-Up last weekend.

Side Note: If you live in the Midwest, be sure to learn about our fantastic teacher blogger meet-up and plan to attend future events!  You.will.LOVE.it!

So what else am I preparing, you ask?  Welllll, my 100th Day of School Stations, of course!  I really wish I had current in-action photos of my students doing the stations, but since we are only on the 92nd day of school right now, that makes it a wee bit challenging.  Nonetheless, I am prepared!

I have used stations in my classroom for years, but it was not until this year that I finally got around to revamping my station signs.  Other teachers would ask me about my signs, but I honestly had no idea where I had the digital document saved!  (It was likely on the flashdrive that shattered years ago after my laptop slipped off my lap...as I was dozing off, but anyway...)  So I made new ones and these signs are waaayyyy prettier than the old ones.

Here are the stations we use:

Station #1 - "100 Days Smarter" crown / hat (part 1)

Station #2 - "100 Days Smarter" crown / hat (part 2)

(I split this station into two, otherwise the kids get traffic jammed as it takes longer than the other stations.)

Station #3 - 100 Gumballs (They use Bingo markers to make 100 gumballs in the jar.  The printable is included in my pack.)

Station #4 - 100 Chart (My students put 100 small objects that they brought from home on a hundreds chart as they count.)

Station #5 - 100 Piece Puzzle (This is a whole class effort.  A group works on the puzzle for awhile, then moves on to the next station.)

Station #6 - Towers of 100 (My students use a variety of materials, such as recycled fruit cups, math manipulatives, pennies, etc.)

Station #7 - 100 Loop Necklace (A box of round cereal and yarn make this station easy-peezey!)

I found these huge paperclip stands at The Dollar Tree.  You could also use those book stands you see in libraries.  I somehow have a bunch of those as well.

If you are looking to do 100th Day of School Stations in your classroom as well and do not feel like recreating the wheel, consider hopping over to my TPT store!  The document includes more than just the station signs, by the way.  You can check it out by clicking HERE!  While you're there, be sure to look around as I have lots of freebies in my store as well.

Do you want to implement stations in your classroom, but not exactly the way I did?  Do you want to add a station?  No problem!  The document is editable.  Woohoo!  Just make sure you have the same fonts (this is detailed in the product description), so it looks the same on your end.  Or just do some tweaking in the document to find a font that works for you.

So now you know that I use stations in my classroom.  Be sure to check back in a couple of weeks.  I'm going to be snapping tons of pictures on our 100 Day of School Celebration and I want to share it with you!  So...what do YOU do on the 100th Day of School?!  Be sure to comment below!

100th Day of School Celebration and a FREEBIE!

Our "100th Day of School" celebration was on Thursday... oh what fun!  The parent-involvement activities in the morning went so smoothly and the kids had a blast.  The afternoon, especially post-cookies and juice, was a little crazy but overall the kids had an enjoyable day.  :)  I heard the words "Thank You" probably a hundred times, so that warmed my heart.

By the way...I know most of you have already celebrated your "100th Day of School" this year, so if you like an idea you see, be sure to save it for next year!  I like to store my ideas in Pinterest, as I am totally a visual learner.

Here are some photos of the day:

This is Station #1, set up and ready to go!  If you would like to read my earlier post about how we run stations in our room on the "100th Day of School," click HERE.

Our classroom educational assistant remained at Station #1, while I mostly stayed in Station #2 the majority of the time.  The kids need help with the crowns the most, while the other activities can be done independently or with parent volunteers.

Update: I have created a 100th Day of School Stations pack that includes a much cuter version of my station signs than what you see below.  Check out what is all available in the pack by hopping over to my TPT store!

Here are some close-up photos of my kids counting and working hard!

You can hardly seem them, but in the jar with the black lid are some little pre-assembled bows.  A coworker of my husband graciously shared many of her crafting items with me and my students.  The bows were PERFECT on the crowns, as they are light-weight and easy to glue.  They made such a nice addition to our crowns this year!

Station #3 - Students used paint dabbers / Bingo markers to find and identify the numbers 1 to 100 in chronological order and then make a "gumball" in the jar by stamping the number.

I created my own "100 Gumballs" printable, which is now available in my pack.

Station #4 - Students count objects (borrowed from me or brought from home) on a hundreds chart.

Station #5 - Students work together to put together a 100 piece puzzle.  When it was time to get started, I laid that white tarp-looking thing out on the table so the puzzle did not fall through the cracks between the student desks.  My kids finished the Toy Story puzzle!  I had to break out another one.  Thanks to the Dollar Tree, I was ready.  :)

Station #6 - Students stack 100 objects to make a tower.  This year, I set out pennies and poker chips.  I think next year, I am going to put out more of a variety.

Station #7 - This station is actually an "if you finish early" station.  Our timing was spectacular this year, which is wonderful... but because of our great timing, no students had extra time to go to this station.  The kids were disappointed and I felt bad.  I am thinking next year, this station will replace one of the other stations or maybe we will do this activity whole group in the afternoon.

Anyway, the kids make a necklace out of 100 loop cereal.

How cute!  These are what the crowns look like when they are complete and put together.

The day before the "100th Day of School" celebration, I had to attend an all-day meeting.  I really hate to be out of my classroom, but it was not so bad because one of my friends / newly-retired teachers subbed in my classroom.  I always feel better knowing she is there!  Anyway, with her, the kids created 100 year-old portraits.  This was a Pinterest-inspired activity, originally from Finally in First. 

The kiddos were supposed to crinkle up the paper before gluing it down to create "wrinkles," but they must have forgotten about that part in all the excitement!

I have a really hard time just letting my kids create art projects, so I, of course, added a writing piece:  "When I am 100 years old, I will..."  If you would like this FREEBIE, click HERE to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

So I tried something new this year:  I dressed up like a 100 year-old woman!

Next year, I will need to add a lot more baby powder to my hair or wear a white wig, because many people / teachers just thought it was mismatched clothes day or something, haha!  I also need to find a cane.

P.S.  I am 6 months pregnant, though it is difficult to see in this picture, so the teachers were having a ball laughing at the 100 year-old pregnant woman!  :)

My kiddos loved this activity that we did in the afternoon!  I hid 100 Hershey Kiss candies around the classroom when they were at lunch.  When they returned, I turned on some music as they hunted for 100 Hershey Kisses.  I stayed near the poster because they had to identify the number each time they laid down a candy.

This was a Pinterest-inspired idea, originally from Kindergarten Hoppenings.

I found these awesome napkins and matching plates at a local discount store last year.  I was so disappointed when I went back this year and they were not there!  Luckily, I had a few left over to use this year.

Okay, if you read through this whole post, you definitely deserve another FREEBIE.  Click HERE to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and pick up your own copy of a short and sweet "100" poem.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping by!  :)

100th Day of School Cookies and a FREEBIE!

Well... it is almost here:  The 100th Day of School!  This special day officially falls on Monday in our Kindergarten classroom, but our parent-involvement activity and celebration is not until Thursday.  So basically, we will be doing 100-related activities all week.  :)

A few months ago, I read Fran's post on Kindergarten Crayons about the 100th Day of School Cookies that she made (click on the link to read her post).  They were so stinkin' cute, I just knew I had to make them for my kiddos.  I have to admit, mine did not turn out nearly as cute as hers, but I am guessing my kids will love them regardless!

These are the tools and supplies you will need to bake these cute cookies:

I found these cookie cutters at a kitchen and cooking store called Sur La Table near my house.  The blue cap is from a "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" bottle, haha!  That is what we used to cut out the center of the zeros.

My mom was sweet enough to mix up her sugar cookie dough for me the night before, so that saved a chunk of time.  When I got to her house, I was already ready to start cutting out the cookies.

Here are a couple of tips I wish I would have known ahead of time:

1 - Do not roll out your dough too thin or the numbers are more likely to fall apart.

2 - Slightly overlap the numbers.  It will help them hold together.



I used the food coloring to make the white vanilla frosting more exciting!

Here is a close up of the final product.  Yes, a little sloppy, but they taste de-lish!

So now it is time for a FREEBIE!  If you read my previous posts about how we celebrate the 100th Day of School in our classroom, you know we turn it into a parent involvement activity.  In order to show appreciation to the parents who participate, we make them thank-you cards.  This is a simple document, but if you would like your own copy, click HERE to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

P.S.  I am totally excited that I now have over 100 wonderful followers!  Wow... who would have thought!?  As always, thank you for stopping by.  :)

Updated (Again): 100th Day of School Stations and a FREEBIE!

Ask and you shall receive!
Okay, admittedly that was a bit dramatic.  But seriously... I have something awesome for you! 

So since I wrote this post back in 2011 (or maybe that's when I updated the post), I have had many of you wonderful teachers ask about my station signs.  Well, I always responded with, "I don't know where I saved that document," which was the truth (I think it was on a flashdrive that ended up getting crumbled to pieces - long story).  The other part I didn't say was, "I'm too embarrassed to share such a simple, ugly document."

It was always my intent to re-create my signs and make them look cuter, but my trouble was finding the time.  Well, the time has come...

My EDITABLE 100th Day of School station signs are now available!  Check them out at my TPT store!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I am joining the linky party over at TBA - Teaching Blog Addict:  "100th Day Ideas."  Be sure to hop over there for more great ideas from amazing teachers!

I love the 100th Day of School!  I am all about a fun-filled day when I can throw my regular lesson plans out the window and plan a day of engaging activities that feels more like a "party" than "school."  (Though we wise teachers know this "party" is certainly a learning experience they will never forget!)

I turn the 100th Day of School celebration into a parent involvement day.  If you would like a copy of our bilingual (Spanish and English) parent invitation, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store for this FREEBIE!  (I left the download as a Word document.  The formatting won't come out correctly on your end if you do not have the same font, but at least you will be able to revise the document, so you can use it.)

The majority of our morning is spent in 7 stations.  I divide my students into small groups ahead of time and I post these groups on the SmartBoard for all to read.  I always make sure I assign at least one student to each group who has a parent volunteer joining them.  The students spend 15 to 20 minutes in each station before they rotate to the next station.

Tip!  In order to keep parents "in the loop," I post the schedule or agenda on the whiteboard.  (This also encourages the parents to scoot out the door at the appropriate time.) 

Tip!  Play music when the students are working.  When you shut off the music, the students will know when it is time to start cleaning up their station.

Tip!  Use tape to mark arrows on the floor in order to visually show the students the directions in which they should rotate stations.  I have some bright green tape from JoAnn Fabrics that I will use this year.

Tip! Post "I Can" signs at each station (English and Spanish, if necessary), so the parents understand what it is the children are supposed to be doing at each station.  If you don't have time to create your own, be sure to check out the ones that I use!  They are editable and available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Anyway, here are our 7 stations:

Station #1 - "100 Days Smarter Crown," Part 1:

This activity takes the students the longest to complete, so they work on their crowns in two stations.  This idea comes from the wonderful Shari Sloane.  If you are not already familiar with her, I highly recommend that you visit her website:  Kids Count 1234.  In order to find her particular post about these crowns, click on "Math Activities."

So you (or your educational assistant, if you're lucky enough to have one, or a parent volunteer) will need to prep these crowns ahead of time.  You need to staple ten 1.5 inch x 12 inch strips to the back of a sentence strip.  Hole punch each strip at the top.  You then stick or glue a label on the sentence strip that says "100 Days Smarter!" These are also available in my pack.  (Something I do differently than Shari:  I use multi-colored strips, not just white.)



When the students come to this station, they stick (or glue) 10 of something to each strip.  This is what my students do:

- Stick 10 dot stickers.

- Stick 10 letter stickers.

- Stick 10 picture stickers.

- Stick 10 foam stickers.

- Stamp 10 fun stamps.

Station #2 - "100 Days Smarter Crown," Part 2:

The students finish their crowns at this station.

- Glue 10 little circles (from hole punchers).

- Glue 10 sequins.

- Glue 10 elbow noodles.

- Glue 10 small buttons.

- Punch out 10 holes with hole puncher. This year I have letter hole punchers! I also found some picture hole punchers at The Dollar Tree.

When the crowns are dry, help your students gather the tops of each strip so that the holes overlap.  Insert a brass fastener in the hole.  Don't forget to take a picture of the students wearing their crowns!  (We usually wait until the afternoon when they are completely dry.)

I was super disappointed when I took my "100 Days Smarter Crown" out of storage today.  It flattened!  :(  But you get the idea.

Station #3 - "100 Gumballs"

Each student takes a paper that has a picture of a gumball jar and 100 gumballs inside.  Students find the numbers in chronological order from 1 - 100.  They mark each "gumball" with a Bingo marker / paint dabber after they find and say the number.  The students then pick up the paper without numbers and they write the numbers from 1 - 100.  These printables (both with and without numbers) are also available in my pack.

Tip! I enlarge this image using our photocopy machine, so it is twice the normal size.

Tip!  Provide the students with scrap paper to slide under their gumball papers.  The Bingo dabbers have a tendency to leak through the gumball papers...at least when little hands are dabbing too much or too hard.

Station #4 - "Count to 100"

If you read through my parent invitation, you noticed that I ask the students to bring 100 of the same object (nothing edible).  The objects must be small enough to fit inside a paper lunch bag, which I provide.  Students bring things like paperclips, pennies, small Legos, small plastic toys, etc.  The students take a laminated hundreds chart and practice counting to 100 as they place one object on each number.  (I have included a cuter 100s chart than the once you see below in my pack, in case you don't have any readily available in your classroom already.)

Tip!  Print the 100s chart on colorful cardstock and laminate them so you can use them year after year.

Station #5 - "100 Piece Puzzle"

This activity is a group effort.  In other words, when the students transition to the next station, they do NOT clean up.  They leave the puzzle as is.  A 100 piece puzzle has proven challenging for my young ones, but with the help of the parent volunteers, they get it done...and boy, are they proud of themselves when it is complete!  If you do not already have a 100 piece puzzle in your classroom, visit your local Dollar Tree or Dollar General.  They usually are stocked with them.

Tip!  Provide the students with a solid work surface.  If this station is on the ground, like in my classroom (on the carpet), lay down a tarp or something of the sort, so it can be moved.  That way, the students can finish at a later time, if needed.

Station #6 - "Towers 100"

This station is simple to prepare and simple to do, but my kids LOVE it!  They just count and stack 100 objects...or that is the goal, anyway.  Here are some suggestions of objects that are good for stacking:  applesauce or fruit cups, Legos, connecting cubes, pennies, poker chips, and two-sided round, flat math manips (if you have them in your classroom).

Station #7 - "100 Loops Necklace"

This station is not assigned to anyone.  Instead, students go to this station, if they finish their assigned station early.  Your early finishers might visit this extra station several times, in which case they may actually finish their necklaces.  Anyway, they just loop Fruit Loops cereal on to a string of yarn, while counting of course.

(I do not have a picture to show you, but thanks to Mrs. Lee, here is a photo for you visual learners out there.  If you would like to read more about how Mrs. Lee celebrates the 100th Day of School, click HERE!)

Tip!  Wrap a small piece of masking or painters tape around one end of the yarn.  This harder, pointier tip makes it easier for the kids to get the cereal on there.

Tip!  If you have the students count 10 orange, 10 red, 10 blue, etc. it will be easier for them to stay on track with their counting.

So that's it!  If I am leaving out any logistical details that you would like to know more about or if you have any questions, please be sure to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

I am planning on writing a second post about the 100th Day of School on another day (my brain is fried at this point and  I have dirty dishes waiting to be washed...boo).  My next post will detail what we do in the afternoon on this special day.  So check back later!

Thanks for stopping by.  :)