Theme for the School Year

We are beginning our 3rd year with a school-wide theme.  I teach in a parochial school so the theme reflect this.  The first year we were "Anchored in Faith and Excellence".  We had an ocean theme and used currency with our students we called "Barnacle Bucks".  Last year we went all out Hollywood with "Setting the Stage for Saintly Success".  We called our currency "Star Bucks".  We have a monthly store where students can spend their currency.  This year our theme is "Win the World for Jesus".  We are going to focus on a country each month.  Instead of having paper currency this year, we are going to give each student a Passport. 

The currency is all copied in the Passport and is specific to the country we are studying for the month.  Students are awarded a "buck" each day and may keep it with good behavior or it may be taken away if rules are broken.  We also reward students who display extraordinary behavior with extra bucks.  This explains the reason for different amounts of "bucks" each week.  It's kind of a complex system that we have worked to perfect over the past few years.  

We will be using the left side of the pages of the booklet to collect and record facts about the countries.

Click on the picture if you'd like to see the Passport.  Do you have a school-wide theme?  Do you have a currency system and opportunities to spend the currency at your school?  I would love to hear what you have going on! 

Only 5 days until teacher meetings begin.  YIKES!!!

DIY Project

We are getting ready to begin our 6th year in our new elementary school.  I have a set of cabinets in my room with about 24 inches of space between the top of the cabinets to the ceiling.  I have been trying to figure out a way to decorate the space, but haven't have any good ideas until . . . I saw an idea on Facebook from a company called Boredworks Signs.  I immediately called my husband to the computer and asked if he thought "we" could make one for my classroom.  He thought it would be no problem so my brain went into overdrive planning, sketching, and making a list of materials.  We went to Home Depot and picked up some of the supplies.  

Of course our 4-year-old daughter was not going to be happy unless she was helping with this project!  She loves helping Mommy and I know that in a few years she will be a great help to me at school!  Any ideas yet on what we're making?

We got the smallest can of paint you could buy, a few spongebrushes, a 4x4 landscape timber that had a bad spot on the end so it was discounted, a 1x8 board, and some sandpaper.  The extremely helpful Home Depot employee used my sketch on a restaurant napkin and cut the wood for me!  My husband was going to do the cutting, but God love him, it might not have gotten done until the 2012-2013 school year!  Lauren and I got busy painting the moment we got home with our supplies.

 
This is what we had after our first day of work.

Have you figured out what we're making? 

We made a trip to Michael's the next day to get scrapbook paper, Mod Podge, ribbon, and accents!!  I also used my fab fonts from Kevin and Amanda to print some letters on cardstock.  After lots of time working and waiting for Mod Podge to dry we now have the finished product.

Drum roll please . . . 

Now, I'm not going to lie to all you great bloggy friends, this project was fun and I love to use my creativity to make things for school.  I got to make the sign especially for my space, the size I wanted, the color, etc.  But, after thinking I could save money making it myself, probably not true.  Trying to find and coordinate the scrapbook paper, ribbon, accents - a little more difficult than it looks (especially when you are trying to shop with your husband and children :))  All in all, I am very pleased with the outcome, I had a good time making the sign, and I can't wait to see how it looks in my classroom (which is currently closed due to floor waxing - BOO).

I'll try to post pictures next week of how my sign looks in my classroom.  I hate to admit I get so caught up in blogstalking that I have neglected this little ol' blog.