Attacking the Bucket List

Welcome Back from our Spring Break!

Step one on my bucket list (thanks to dots-n-spots) was to make these welcome back bags. I love them! I have to also say that I love the idea of welcoming the kids back from a short break. Remember that I said, " but the kids so give me their best right at the beginning of the year, so I'm going to try to dig back into that vibe again. Wish me luck!" Here it is - my welcome back bag with an Easter kick. Nothing is more motivating to to think you were missed and someone cares about you ~ and kiddos, I do. 

Step 2

a.) working on perfect attendance... hoping all are back at school tomorrow morning so we can earn our P for PERFECT. Just to help bait the hook, I've cooked up these yummy bird nest treats (thanks to my friend Becca who always makes Haystacks for our Christmas Cookie exchange, and a little something I saw on Pinterest) to feed my flock this Thursday.

d.) Hopping into High Gear - My students filled the marble reward jar, so I owe them, right. So, I bought a class pet. Not a real one, silly. I wouldn't be able to turn that off and testing time is NOT the right time for something that unpredictable. A FurReal  Hop 'n Cuddles Bunny.

One of my classroom rewards is time with the "class pet". I'm sure this little guy will be a big hit. Did I mention it has an OFF button?! AND NO CLEAN UP!

Other rewards for Hopping into High Gear are the reward Easter Eggs. Every egg has a prize. My bunny jar will remind students that they were "mint" to succeed. Here I'll  house my "calming" mints.

e.) Tomorrow we will be decorating our water bottle labels and I have the Hershey's Kisses ready for students to give their brains a kiss for all the hard work they've done and to have their brains ready to show what they know. 

 Now I'm still in the middle of preparing the Lucky Charms cereal in a baggie (idea from What's the Buzz in 1st ) to add some testing luck. I think it's such a great snack to eat during the test that I'm also making these for my daughter's second grade class as well!

Step 3 looks good. I'm still making my parent's "Thank You!"s, but I've started with my plan. Step 4 makes me happy and I'm excited about Monday. Step 5 is ready to go, and I swear it's making me a better person. I've been using this organizing idea  

 

at home and it's working SO WELL for the whole family. (Even my 4-year-old.)  and I'm going to post my classroom organizing calendar at 

 

by weeks end adding this goal list to it. 

I will also then put the goal list itself as a freebie at the TpT store.

Wow this has been an exciting bucket list and I can't wait to share more with you!

Good luck with your back to school and finishing up your year's Bucket List!

~ The Farmer's Wife

The Bucket List - 5 things to do as soon as we get back from Spring Break

1) Make a Welcome Back treat bag for the kids - I know it was only spring break, but the kids so give me their best right at the beginning of the year, so I'm going to try to dig back into that vibe again. Wish me luck! I'm using the "welcome back" sack idea

  

from Becky at

 

I also got many of the ideas listed below from Becky and the girls at  with their Testing Survival Kit. - Now you guys rock!

2) Getting test ready...

• Reward system for attendance - each day students are ALL present, we will receive a letter in the word PERFECT. When we've spelled perfect, we will celebrate. Choose what works best for your kids. My students seem to go for the homemade treats. 
• Tootsie Rolls during our test prep time to let kids know they're on a roll.
• Reminders on when taking a test, best practices.
• Hopping into high gear - going with the Easter theme to ready ourselves for the tests. Using snack ideas I got off pinterest, we will celebrate good testing practices and jobs well done with review games.
• Becky's Bottled to Inspire   for the first day of testing week, and a Hershey Kiss each day of testing - before the test.Pop Rocks each day as they finish the test.
• Smarties for my "Smartie Pants" the second day of testing.
• Cookies after testing is through for my smart cookies.
• Also might add something like this idea from First Grade and Fancy Free. What a great idea to say that these tests will be a piece of cake!
  
  
  and from What's the Buzz in 1st add some testing luck by put some Lucky Charms cereal in a baggie and attach one of her FREE downloadable tags! Now that's a great snack to eat during the test!
  

3) Drop some marbles and let students know I appreciate EVERYONE's efforts! Thank some parents - I have my plans in works, but don't want to post until they get theirs...

4) Teach some of the best lessons ever and staying the course. I don't like to get off track, or behind, but sometimes those facts alone keep me from "not seeing the forest for the trees". With this in mind, keeping joy in the classroom is my major focus in gaining the most learning possible during this intense time of the year.

5) Begin the end of the year Declutter the Classroom Event. I took the idea from 

 

and and revised it to a calender which I've cut out into notes squares and stuck on a board for students to grab when they "have a minute". I made a chart using ConeflowerBlue studio's idea & instructions. 

Put your own declutter needs up for your class. Now that the weather is nicer, I'm starting with sorting through the game boxes for games with missing pieces and organizing.

Good luck with your back to school and finishing up the year Bucket List!

~ The Farmer's Wife