RANDOM CREATIVE IDEAS (add yours!)

Well I wont be adding any of mine, but I will add creative things I see while subbing.

Im sure most of them you've all seen, but you never know !
I love to see how teachers get creative with things, or do things differently.

Post your creative ideas, in any random area or for any time of day.

I'll start.

I usually see teachers that have pillows, small chairs, comfy things to sit on, in the reading/rug area.
This one teacher had a few milk crates, with seat cusions on them. (is that an old idea?)

I dont think Ive ever seen that and thoght it was so cute!

oh another fun idea, was a 5th grade class, they do a "News" presentation once a week. Where students are assigned Sports, Obituaries, Weather, even commercials, thought it was a great idea!

others? please share! (and add grade if you can)

Re: RANDOM CREATIVE IDEAS (add yours!)

I've taught a bunch of grades....here's a few ideas....

I've always done a traveling mascot...a stuffed animal w/ a notebook & you add things from NY (statue of liberty toy, empire state bldg, a sheet of facts about NY & postcards)...in the notebk students write about what they like about NY...they vote & name the mascot & then take it home e/ night (but have to write about what they did...mascot & I did my HW & then went to soccer practice). After everyone in the class had a turn we ship him off to another class in another state (I tried to get a class from e/ region of the country) & they write about where they live & their kids take mascot home, take pictures & write in the journal & add postcards & stuff from their state. At the end you get the journal back filled w/ facts about other places, pictures of the kids w/ their mascot & the kids LOVE IT. Good for SS & for communities (I've done this w/ 2nd, 3rd & 4th grade). I went to teachers.net to set it up w/ other classes.

In my reading area, I always have an area rug, small beach chairs--I get at the end of the season---& I had a beanbag but it didn't last the whole year..I also had cool little lamps.

When we learned about $ in 2nd grade I set up a store & we used play money & change (we switched the cashiers) & they had to give the right change.

I always had them graph their halloween candy.

We do penpals every year

Every month we do different artwork to hang from the lights...I use fishing line & paperclips to secure to the light (no need for a ladder).

I do a SuperStar of the week where 1 child gets to bring in pics from baby until now & he has to answer q's about his favorite things (sport, color, food, "I've been to", I have a pet..., etc.) They love it & on Fri. they get to bring in something special & share w/ the class (a trophy, a picture from a special vacation, etc.)

Gotta run for now...