Apple Slices

Resources from a mom and former teacher

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{Back to School Linky}

I am linking up with Mrs. Just Reed’s fabulous Back to School Linky!  Even though I’m not going into my very own classroom this year, like I have in the past, I am always super excited about the beginning of the school year.  It’s my absolute most favorite time of the year!  And for so many great reasons.  It’s all about community building and getting to really know your learners!  {AWESOME}!

 
 
 
So here are my top 10 Back to School Ideas & Pins!! (In no particular order)
 
 
10)  Inside my head.  I love this idea because it allows you to really get to know your kiddos!  And it’s fun!
Thanks Milk & Cookies for this great idea!
9)  I believe very strongly in the power of having a goal.  And not just creating one.  Or saying one.  But writing it down.  And revisiting it.  Over and over again.  It’s important to set goals on the first days of school.  You need to spend time setting expectations and learning your students.  But by setting goals you show them how important learning is to you.  And that they’re expected to grow.  And once they meet a goal, they set another goal.  You can use my goal setting pages in my product Start the Year off Right to help with this!  I find these pages extremely helpful. 
C.S. Lewis says it better than I ever could.
 
8)  Live and die by a Writer’s Notebook.  I love, love, LOVE all things Ralph Fletcher.  Including his book, A Writer’s Notebook.  And I love spending writing time, outside, writing in the warm weather.  Especially at the beginning of the school year.  And if I were to be enjoying a classroom this year, I would be focusing on carrying around our writer’s notebooks everywhere.  To the cafeteria.  To the playground.  Home.  Ev-ah-ree-where!  And capturing down bits and pieces of everything.  Conversations, feelings, colors, pictures, words.  Seriously… we’d be writing fiends.  And honestly friends, what better way to get to know your writers!  Am I “write”?  Bahhaa!
 
 


7)  I’m also enamored right now with these colorful tabs.  They’re be great for letting student’s separate their own writer’s notebooks.  And that rolls right into number 6…



Happy place!
6)  Colorful pens!  Who doesn’t love getting out a new and colorful pen and writing!?  If you are shaking your head “no” right now, you’re obviously lying to yourself!!  There is nothing better than a fresh notebook (or an old/abused/treasured notebook) ready to be filled with writing.  And colored writing at that! 
 
5)  Stick it to Me (aka Parking Lot)-  What a great idea… especially for the first days of school when our poor kiddos are just nervous to even raise there hands. 


4) Time Capsule- I would L.O.V.E. to have my students create a time capsule during the first week of school and then open it on the last.  It would definitely help them see how much they grow over the course of a year.  Craziness!


3) Common Core Standards in the Back of Books- LOOOOOOVING this super great idea.  How convenient.  And super practical.  And all kinds of amazing… I will definitely be trying these out!


2)  Bursting with excitement-  Too cute!  And who doesn’t love starburst?  I’ll have to be sure to only buy a *few* extra.  Or I’ll someone I know will end up eating them all.  Whoops!  🙂


1)  Custom coloring pages-  Who doesn’t love the comfort of coloring?  I LOVE these pages.  And they would be so cute to send home on the first day of school.  I know drawing always calms my nerves.  Maybe I should go do some coloring now…

There’ sooo many adorable back to school pins going around right now that it was impossible to choose a top ten!  I probably could have added about twenty more.  But these are some of my favs for sure. 

Happy Hump day!!!