As February break comes to a close, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite mail order boxes for the spring, Fab, Fit & Fun.
Continue reading “Fab, Fit & Fun For February”Think Outside the Box! Top Teacher Gift Ideas! (2018 Edition)

As the school year winds down, I am refreshing my Teacher Gift list for 2018. This list is perfect to turn to if you need a gift for a teachers or for graduates of teaching school. Are you ready to nix the normal mug, stationary, key chain list? Well get ready and look into the world of gift boxes… subscription gift boxes that is.
These boxes are so easy! You can simply send them to your house and hand it to the teacher or surprise the gift by sending it to the address of the school (or their own home if they are willing to give up their privacy!)
Continue reading “Think Outside the Box! Top Teacher Gift Ideas! (2018 Edition)”
Happy Mother’s Day!!!
It is no surprise that Mother’s Day closes out Teacher Appreciation week!
Today we celebrate all of the hardworking mother teachers. Too often teachers are like mothers to their students coupled with raising their own family once they get home. They miss their own children’s mothers day events, parent teacher conferences and plays just to be at work with their students.
“Here’s to strong women – may we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
“I appreciate your teaching SO MUCH oh by the way…
I need a recommendation (for college, my summer internship, my clothing store application…”
This is always the week students ask me for recommendations for the summer and for next year! They think they can butter me up during teacher appreciation week and then come to me for a recommendation… and they are RIGHT! I always give in!!
Does this happen to you too teachers?!!
Continue reading ““I appreciate your teaching SO MUCH oh by the way…”
Happy New Year!!
Have a happy and healthy new year to all our favorite teachers!! We can’t wait to share more teaching tips with you in 2018!!
It’s time to break out your best teacher moves tonight because we are back to the grind on Tuesday!!
History Class Can Be Fun!
Here are ten ways to make your history class more engaging and more interactive!
Animate Google Classroom: Add a fun US history/ World history/ Economics banner to your Google Classroom – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Nofiredrills
Pop-Up Cards: Have students create historical greeting cards. Great for Valentine’s Day! Pop – Up Cards
Mannequin Challenge: Need some peace on a Friday afternoon? Try a Mannequin Challenge. m The Mannequin Challenge – for the Classroom
Flipgrid Discussion: Have students make a quick video to answer a prompt or give an opinion with this free tool. ”Back to School with Flipgrid
Play – Doh Pictograms: Great for a lesson on ancient civilizations. Play-Doh is Power
Speed Networking: Modern day networking with historical figures. Speed Networking in the Classroom
Play-Doh is Power
Working with teenagers on Friday afternoons can be difficult but I decided to spice things up this week with my lesson on the early river valley civilizations. My students jumped out of their chairs and cheered when I told them they would each receive their own “Play-Doh ” – no longer just for toddlers! I had them create their own names and pictograms in cuneiform.





Animate Google Classroom!
Google Classroom comes alive! Customize and Glitter your Google Classroom theme or your online delaney cards with an animated gif.
Brighten your students day and change your banner every day! This is perfect for the virtual/ digital classroom.
We have so many great header/borders available in our Teachers Pay Teachers store here!
We even offer bundles so you can bring your Google Classroom to life or spice it up for the holiday season!
If you are looking for ways to animate your google classroom here is the easiest way to do it:
First, pick your favorite banner! For back to school I like to use one from my September or back to school bundles, but perhaps you have a theme to your classroom and want one of my other fun selections!
Find the upload picture button on the upper right hand side of your classroom.
Next, upload the gif file that you like in the proper size. Make sure to UNZIP it first! Upload just like any other picture file.
Now, you can adjust the size.
The Mannequin Challenge – for the Classroom
I have been waiting all year to try out the Mannequin Challenge in my classroom! Finally I had the opportunity this week to get my students to “freeze in time” for this awesome task.
The Mannequin Challenge was a trend that spread across the internet asking people to freeze in a particular moment in time usually while a camera captures the moment. I chose to participate without the camera. Here’s how you can too.
Continue reading “The Mannequin Challenge – for the Classroom”
SUCCESSFUL SNOW DAY SUGGESTIONS!
It’s a snowy day here in NY and the schools are closed wooohooo! Looking for something fun to do? Here are five fun ideas to try on this blistering day…
- Try a read aloud of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The snow is falling and this book will keep your little ones entertained as they check out this animated tale. http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/read-aloud/the-snowy-day/’ Prefer a hard copy for the next snow day? Grab one here!
- Use this snow day calculator to predict if you will be off any more days this school year: https://www.snowdaycalculator.com/calculator.php (I’m guessing NO! If you are in NYC 🙂 )
- Make snow angels inside or outside to Music for Aardvarks & Other Mammals – Blanket of Snow song. Watch the snow come tumbling down outside your window and sing along to this cute tune. Here’s a rendition by a local artist Jams with Janet if you don’t have spotify: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQoCx8WUCBAWant the whole album? (I’m obsessed!) Get it here!
- Check out a local museum or childrens coffee spot. Those tend to be open on Snow Days to keep your kids entertained! I like the American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org/ or The Childrens Museum of Manhattan/ Brooklyn/ Staten Island (for you NYers) http://cmom.org/.
- Go sledding!!! Grab a tray or a sled and head out to the closest hill and enjoy the fluffy white snow. Let us know what you are up to this perfect snow day! I’m about to warm up some hot cocoa, make some pancakes and play some board games!