A SATURDAY WELL SPENT

Yesterday I woke up thinking to myself "Why did I sign up for this Saturday workshop?" 

I didn't want to go.
I had too many things to do!
I wasn't going to learn anything new.
I even pondered bringing along some papers to grade...admit it, we all do it!
Still, I got up and headed out...I needed those hours!

Well, I was in for a pleasant surprise!

It turned out to be a Saturday well spent with The Bag Ladies!

You see, I haven't been feeling like a great teacher lately. I've been feeling like my lessons have been lack-luster and that I've been stuck in a rut following the same old routine.  So, I signed up to attend this Make and Take workshop to see if I can get some ideas to spruce up my lessons.   I am so glad I did because Karen and Cindy, also known as The Bag Ladies, presented some fun, hands-on projects that got me motivated again!

Their approach is simple yet fun!  They use very inexpensive things such as brown paper bags, shopping bags, old file folders, calendar pages, envelopes and even those coffee sleeves you get from your favorite coffee shops to make books, journals and other fun things.

I am already thinking of ways to incorporate their ideas in my upcoming lessons!

I never would have thought to use these sleeves as a fun way to write vocabulary words in.  

I'm sure there are lots of other ways to use this idea!

The ladies reused this shopping bag to create a place to write reading responses.

 

They cut out a pocket and adding paper with brads.

This "toolbox" was used to store "tools" they used to learn the concepts in a particular unit.

I'm thinking we can make a writing toolbox and even a reading toolbox!

The ladies put several small brown paper bags together to make this "Vocabulary Builder."

The bags actually collapse and the words are stored in the pockets.

There were so many other great examples but I was only able to snap pictures of these ones.  If you would like to learn more about The Bag Ladies, please visit their website by clicking HERE.

I hope all of you have a great day!

Now...I'm off to bake cookies!

Antoinette :)

P.S.  If you are looking for quick Easter themed math and literacy printables, click HERE...they're FREE!