Create Classroom Panda-monium!

Before this school year ends, you should spend some time thinking about next year. I know, you're counting the days. But everything you can accomplish this spring will make the chaos of back-to-school that much easier to manage.  

Are you thinking about changing your classroom decor? If so, consider creating a little PANDA-MONIUM! I've been busy making the most adorable PANDA products. Take a peek ...

Begin with a PANDA style welcome.

In this product you will find every letter of the alphabet on a separate pennant, allowing you to spell out the welcome of your choice. The vowels are repeated on pennants of the opposite color so that you can create a colorful pattern. There are panda pennants and plain pennants to put at the beginning and ending of your message, and/or to separate words. 

Also included are small pennants to use for word wall headers. Each small pennant has the upper and lower case letters.

There are editable frames for words to be added to the word wall and editable pennants for adding students' names or pictures.

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Add alphabet and color posters to the PANDA-monium:

They come in 2 sizes; full letter page and 1/2 page. Also supplied are color posters, panda-style.

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Create more PANDA-monium with Number Posters. They feature cardinal and ordinal numbers with numerals, number words, ten frames, and tally marks.

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Classroom PANDA-monium continues with Math Concepts. These 43 posters provide visual reminders of math concepts in numbers and operations, geometry, and measurement.

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There is more PANDA-monium with these Math Word Wall components:

• alphabet headers

• 243 vocabulary words

• from Splash Math and CCSS

• most with graphics to enhance under-standing

• color coded for grades K-2

• editable word cards

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Put your passion for PANDAS on your class calendar.  Calendar Icons provide everything you need for daily calendar time, including 5 complete sets of date cards.  Mix those cards to create patterns on the calendar, then challenge your class to identify the pattern and predict the next card. 

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No classroom PANDA-monium would be complete without these Classroom Signs:

• Nut free classroom
• Fire drill procedures (editable)
• Storm drill procedures (editable)
• A dot is a lot (glue use)
• Be a PANDA Student (traits of successful students)
• Our Travel Plans (how students get to school) clip chart
• Our Birthdays clip charts

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Every classroom needs some parameters. Establish them with these PANDA-monium rules posters. There are 23 rules from which to choose and 5 bathroom rules; all perfect for display.

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Stuff your pockets with pandas to display classroom jobs.  This file is editable, allowing you to personalize the student responsibilities in your classroom.

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A behavior clip chart can help to create a paws-itively peaceful classroom atmosphere. This product contains everything you need to make a clip chart.

Combine the behavior clip chart with brag tags.  This product provides 42 brag tags in 3 categories: behavior, academics, and special events.  It also has an editable file, allowing you to personalize brag tags for your students.

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Finally, you can save some money by getting all of these products in the PANDA-monium Bundle. The bundle is currently on sale!

What's Black & White & Red All Over?

What IS black and white and red all over?  

A sunburned zebra, yes.  But it could also be your classroom.

If you are looking for a new color scheme for next year, consider making it dynamic and sophisticated for you, yet fun and appealing for children.  Make it black and white and red all over!

Greet your new students with this cheerful welcome banner.

The provided message is "Welcome to (grade level - Kindergarten thru 6th) Grade!" Editable flags are included so that you can add your name or another message to personalize the banner. Also included are word wall headers and editable rectangles for words.

After you welcome your new students, use these products to bring educational decorations to your classroom: 

(click on each icon for a preview)

Each of these products is available in my TPT Store. For those who love money saving bundles, this set of resources is available in bundle form:

Brag Tag Nuts & Bolts

If you are new to brag tags, I have some nuts and bolts advice that may help you get started.

Ball chain necklaces are my favorite way to adorn my students with brag tags. A lot of teachers use key chains, but I prefer the glow my students emit when they get to wear their brag tag necklaces. Moreover, when we are walking through the halls, the kiddos gather lots of compliments from other teachers, administrators, and support personnel. But the best reinforcement may be the thumbs up other students give them.

A 24 inch necklace should be fine for any elementary student. I have found them for as low as $.50 each on the internet. Some teachers buy the chain by the spool, cutting it to their desired length. I'm not a fan of this as it is labor intensive and time consuming. You also have to buy the connectors separately and add them to the necklaces. It's about time, teachers! And time is precious.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is essential that you add each child's name to the necklace. You can do this by giving them a name tag to put on their necklace. It is simply inevitable that one or more necklaces will eventually end up on the floor. The name tag will settle any disputes about ownership.

In the same vein, it is advisable to label the space where the necklaces hang. Many teachers devote a bulletin board to this purpose. As a huge fan of interactive bulletin boards, I am loathe to sacrifice a board to this purpose. Using command hooks, I hang the necklaces under the front board. 

The hooks are labeled with each student's number using a label maker. This allows me to use the hooks for several years without having to redo the display. (Remember, it's about time, teachers!) The real estate under the front board is pretty much wasted, so hanging the necklaces there seems like a good use for it. Furthermore, I teach small groups near that area. My proximity prevents students from fondling the necklaces, which are, of course, very attractive to them.  

I do NOT laminate my brag tags. Just printing them and cutting them out is time consuming enough. Rather, I print them on cardstock. So far, they have been sufficiently durable without lamination. I encourage my students to write their names on the back of each tag they earn in case one tears away from the necklace. (Another reason to hang them where they will attract a little less attention.) You can call me Viola Swamp, but I have a strict rule that lost or destroyed tags will not be replaced. Who has time to deal with all that drama???? 

I will, however, supply adhesive reinforcement rings so that students can repair their tags. So, another advantage of not laminating the tags is that students can write their name on the back. Thus any lost tag can be more readily returned to its owner.

We all struggle with printing costs, especially when using color ink. I'm unwilling to avoid all color printing since it adds so much panache to the tags. However, I print a good supply using the gray scale tags and colored cardstock. The children seem equally happy with either type of tag. 

Once again, because it's about time, teachers, I enlist the help of others in cutting out and punching holes in the brag tags.  If I choose to send some home to helpful parents who are willing to donate their time, I always include sharp scissors, a hole punch, and ziplock bags in which to return them.  I have a special canvas bag in which students carry all of the supplies back and forth.  Of course, it is never sent home without first contacting the parent to ensure that this task is suitable to their time constraints. I have also enlisted the help of upper elementary students who may wish to help when they have time, and have had teachers use this as a reward for students who need extra encouragement from their favorite primary teacher.  :)

Finally, you will need a storage system that keeps the brag tags organized and handy. My tags are 1 3/8" x 2" so they just fit in this storage chest (that is intended for nuts and bolts). Again using my handy, dandy label maker, I am labeling each drawer with the tags it contains.   

Do you have any other tips for those considering using brag tags?

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot. -- Michael Altshuler