We began the week with the Grinch. I used this idea from The First Grade Parade and A Cupcake for the Teacher to create these:
They decorated the outside of my windows and the kids just loved them!
Our elf Jack also joined us right before the Thanksgiving break. It seemed really early for me, but Santa comes to our school and he is coming a week early this year. Since Jack has to leave the night before Santa comes (so he has time to travel to Santa to tell him who’s been naughty or nice) he had to make an early visit.
Here he is:
I sneak away while my kids are doing an activity and remind Santa to drop a word to each of my kids about Jack at the North Pole and you should see my kids when they hear Santa talking about Jack!! They go nuts! We miss Jack like crazy, but he makes sure to stay in contact via his letters.
These letters are so tiny! The envelopes are about an 1.5 inches wide and about an inch tall. We usually find the notes tucked in one of our read alouds for the day. I wonder how Jack knows which books we will read each day?
Since we were in our elf craze, the kids applied to become one of Santa’s elves using one of Mrs. Cupcakes awesome crafts! I love how they need to get fingerprinted to apply!
They were so cute that Jack wanted to join them:)
Cyber Monday came around and I purchased an awesome file. It’s from Second Grade Shenanigans, it’s called The Ultimate Holiday Bundle and in it came the Holidays Around the World Bag Book. I am in love! I wish I could share my kids’ reaction to these books. One of them yelled “I can’t wait to start this!” another said “I’ve never made a book like this before!” We have only made one of the little crafts so far and they were so ecstatic about their little book. Here is a little peak at our books so far.
For the America project, the kids made this little string of lights.
Here’s my favorite part. After making the craft, it goes into the little pocket as a keepsake of their “travels” around the world!
This has now become one of my all time favorite projects!
Now we are working out way through all the Christmas books! There are about 30 of them all around the room, so we are reading a couple each day. I LOVE Christmas books and my kids do too!
On a personal note, my husband “gave” me my gift early this year. [I kind of picked it out and he paid for it 🙂 ] It’s a new camera lens. I wish I knew how to use it like a pro, but I can’t, so I’m playing with it for now. I took all of the pictures above with my new lens. Definitely not perfect, but it’s a start. Here’s a fun one I took of some flowers against my tree. I love how the lights look with it.
Make sure to link up your week’s happenings with Doodle Bugs Teaching and link up for Five for Friday!