Teacher on a Budget

Yes, we all have a classroom stipend, however we all know that out-of-pocket expenses seem to magically pop up out of nowhere! Crazy! ;)

Here are some ideas that I have used as visual aids and for those "hands on learners" in my classroom and all were made for $1 or under.

Velcro Tree

•  $0.50 poster board from Dollar Store
• markers - draw tree
• print out different types of leaves for Fall Unit
• paste leaves onto cardstock and laminate
• peel n' stick velcro - place on side on tree and other side on leaves - may have to purchase from craft store if you any don't have lying around. Make sure you use all "hook" side on tree and all "loop" side on leaves so students can interchange leaves.
• I also printed out apples (for addition/subtraction games on tree) - ex. If I have 7 apples on the tree and take 3 away, how many apples will I have?
• I printed out light bulbs to decorate tree around Christmas time. You can print any thing you like and just stick the velcro on the back and you are good to go for another unit!

Dinosaur Theme - Height Measurement

• cut off a huge sheet of paper from roll at school
• draw dinosaur - you CAN do it, just look at picture while you are drawing
• use yard stick to mark inches (our dinosaur is not accurate, but it's too cute to do again)
• measure students and mark how tall they are at the beginning of the year

Where we Live - We All Live in Different Places

• $0.50 poster board cut in two - save other half for another project
• Print different pictures of where people and/or animals live as well as the creature that lives in that place. Ex. fish-fishbowl, bird-nest, people-house or apartment, etc.
• Laminate everything!

velcro pieces and place velcro on board. REMEMBER - all of the same side (ex. "hook" side) on board and all of the "loop" side on pieces so you can move them around to give examples and non-examples.

 

Kiddos love moving the pieces around to find out where they go and you can talk about how we all live in different types of houses and come from different families and that is a-ok! We did this as a Getting to Know You theme at the beginning of the year.

These are just a few of my thrifty ideas that I have created in the classroom and will share more as the school year goes along. Feel free to steal ideas, because that is what great teachers do - Beg, Borrow, and Steal so that the kiddos can have the best experience possible!