Can’t Wait to Try
Posted by Debra Liverman on 07 Aug 2008 | Posted in: Grade 1, Grades 2-3, Holiday and Seasonal, Intermediate, Kindergarten, Preschool, Student Activities, The Mailbox
I got an email from my son’s school this week with his list of needed school supplies for first grade. When I suggested we head out that evening to go shopping he said, “Mommy, can you go get them for me? I’ll just stay here.” I was shocked! How can anyone not get excited about picking out brand new school supplies? And then I realized, maybe it’s a teacher thing! Every teacher I know gets giddy over gathering new “stuff” for her classroom. And it’s not just the supplies, it’s the new ideas you can’t wait to try. Whether it’s a new bulletin board to display, a new homework system to implement, or a great game for getting acquainted during the first days of school, as teachers we just can’t wait to give them a try.
As you have been preparing for back to school, what ideas have you found in the August/September issues of The MAILBOX, TEACHER’S HELPER, or BOOKBAG that you are eager to implement in YOUR classroom? Some of my favorites are the back-to-school journal prompts (p. 57) in Grade 1 Teacher’s Helper, the activity cards (p. 16-17) in The Mailbox Intermediate, the Dinosaurs Before Dark book unit (p. 16-17) in Bookbag, and this idea from The Mailbox Grades 2-3 (p. 58).
Awesome Apples
On Back-to-School Night, have each parent or guardian write a note to his child on an apple cutout and then tape it to a tree display. The next morning, students pick their apples from the tree and read the words of praise and encouragement. –Rosemarie, Harrington Park Elementary
I’ll be looking forward to reading about which ideas you just can’t wait to try!
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31 Responses to “Can’t Wait to Try”
More Comments Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All Comments
I love the Mailbox and use it all the time! I read it from cover to cover each month when it comes! I use most of the ideas…sometimes I pull the skill pages out for review! Keep up the good work!
I am very excited about the Froggy Goes to School unit in the Mailbox as well as the Wimberly Worried unit in Teachers Helper. I usually do a Kevin Henkes author study at the first of the year. I was thrilled to find out that there will now be a separate first grade mailbox. I think this has been very needed and I can’t wait to see what is going to be in my next issue!
I truly enjoy receiving the Mailbox magazine with all their ideas. It saves time searching and brainstorming for projects for the holidays, special events, and classroom academics. It has been a lifesaver for our Summer Camp Program. You have been a blessing at the right time.
I also love the mailbox magazine. The one thing I miss is when I am downloading each section it would change color then if I left my computer I knew where I left off at. Plus I agree with Vicki, I wish the reproducibles were left on longer. I dont have enough space to print each month and keep them with each of the magazines. Especially 8 years worth. Keep up the good work Mailbox!!!
The apples in the tree idea is cute to go with a back-to-school theme. I have a similar idea. I copy a preprinted piece of stationary, making it 2 to a page to save paper. I use zoo animals because I have a zoo theme at the beginning of the year.
At our parent orientation night, I ask the parents to jot a note to their child and leave it for them to find at/in their desk in the morning. The parents usually write a bit about being proud of their child, and remind them how much they are loved. Most kids later take their note home, but I have seen students who treasured their note and saved it in their desk for the entire school year. This is a great way to initiate some parent child communication.
I have been subscribing to the mailbox magazine for several years. I look forward to enhancing all the wonderful ideas in my classroom.
I really love the mailbox magazine and all the ideas. I just wish that the website reproducibles would be left on longer or that there was a way to go back and retrieve some of the back issues.