FREEBIE FRIDAY: Soldier Craft

This week's FREEBIE is in honor of Veterans' Day 

which is coming up next week.

It's a soldier craft that makes a super cute display.

You could have your kids make them and line them up.

They are especially cute if students make 

them like self-portraits.

Let them add details,

change the hair, eyecolor, etc

to look like themselves.

The file comes with all the patterns you will need

as well as ideas for variations.

You can grab your copy by clicking on the cover below.

Thank you to all who have served!

FREEBIE FRIDAY: Cross Craft

Anyone else feel like the months are flying by?

I can't believe Easter is almost here.

If you are looking for a quick, easy 

Easter craft, then here it is.

All you need is paper and a verse.

I have this posted in my store

but you could easily look at it and

 have your students do it.

I printed the cross pattern on cardstock,

glued down brown paper scraps and

then added the included verse.

I included a blank sheet in case you

have a different verse or phrase that you love.

If you want the pattern, click on the picture :) 

Happy Easter!

Tower of Babel Craft

My first graders reviewed the Tower of Babel

in Bible Study this week.

We reviewed how the people disobeyed God

by doing the exact opposite of what HE told them to do.

After the lesson, we made "towers" of praise

deciding that instead of a tower to glorify ourselves, 

we choose to obey and praise God.

They were super easy to make.

I let them choose whatever color construction

paper they wanted for their background.

I only have my students for 30 minute blocks,

so I pre-cut a lot of "bricks".

I typed a title and JESUS IS LORD! 

in several languages.

 They glued them wherever they wanted to.

(You can click either picture and get the 

sheets to print out.)

See, super easy:) and yours for free,
in case you want to make them with your students.

Ready to Enlist?

I might be telling my age....
but when I was a kid I LOVED the song,
I'm in The Lord's Army!

Did you learn that song?
Do your littles know it?
It's an oldie, but it's still good.

(Click the pic to listen - YouTube link.)

Several years ago I wanted to do something with the song,

& God took it & turned it into a whole military-themed unit.

Anyway....

since Memorial Day is coming up,

I thought you might like a craft/bulletin board activity.

It's part of my Lord's Army packet,

but you can get the pattern FREE right here.

(Click on any of the pictures to grab a pattern.)

I use the paper pattern to make a sturdy pattern on 

card stock so that it's easier to trace multiple copies

without the pattern going to shreds.

(A crafty parent told me to use empty cereal boxes.)

I also label the pattern pieces with the part name

and the suggested color.

(One year we found camo wrapping paper

and those were very cool.)

That helps students when they are tracing their own pieces.

Cut them out...

I never cut out pieces for my students unless

they are very tiny pieces.

My goal is not a perfect product that looks exactly like mine.

With them cutting, it usually means that

their final products have a LOT of character :) 

Assemble....

They could be assembled and glued onto 

construction paper (and then add a background)

or they could just assemble the character.

Details...

Finish up with whatever details they choose

(faces, scraps for camo, boot laces, etc.)

These make a great bulletin board.

If you're interested,

here is a preview of the entire unit.

Don't forget the click any of the pictures above

to grab your FREE craft pattern.

Turkeys to Trees at The Teaching Tribune

Be sure to head over to The Teaching Tribune today to see what my kids made for Thanksgiving.

(click on the button)

It is a super cute craft that can easily be used for Christmas as well.

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!

You have to see these!!!!!!!!

OMGosh! Y'all have to see these paintings my kids did!!

We have been working on a plant unit and the kids wanted to plant sunflowers.

Well one thing led to another and it just turned into a sunflower unit:)

My buddy teacher and I have a great space right outside our windows that's like our own private yard.

So we got out there after testing on Tuesday afternoon and turned them loose!

We dug up the brand new sod along with some critical tree roots.

Farmers we are not. Anyway, back to the sunflowers.

We have read sunflower books, planted sunflowers, made construction paper sunflowers, eaten sunflower seeds, and it seemed the only thing left to do was paint them.

We read a "G-rated" book about Vincent Van Gogh. 

(The first one that I checked out from the school library even shocked me. LOL)

We looked at pictures of many of his paintings and ended with his "Sunflowers" painting.

They could not wait to paint them.

I gave them a template for the vase because I was hoping that it would help them with sizes and placement on the page.
They could choose to use the pattern and trace it lightly on their paper,
 trace, cut and glue on a vase,
or just draw it on their own.

After the vase, they started adding the flowers and stems.

Next came the table and the background.

After they dried, we went back and mounted them on construction paper.

I think they are amazing. And they were super easy to do.

(So, if something will just sprout from our sunflower garden then we will be all set.)

Be sure to head over to The 2nd Grade Pad for other great Take It and Make It ideas!

Take It and Make It!

Welcome Back for Take It & Make It with the 2nd Grade Pad.

This week I am featuring a product that's in my TpT store.

It's a Biblical unit focused on the military and it's called

I'm in the Lord's Army.

It features the children's song "I'm in the Lord's Army."

It includes printable copies of the book and many other posters and activities. 

Here's the preview.

The take it and make it for this week is the soldier pattern that is included in the unit.

Even if you don't teach in a school where you are allowed to use Biblical materials,

you could still use the soldier pattern with your military or other patriotic units.

Here are the steps......

I use the included paper pattern to make a sturdy pattern on card stock 

so that it’s easier to trace multiple copies.

(A GREAT tip that I learned from a crafty parent is to use empty cereal boxes to make patterns on.)

I also label the pattern pieces with the part name and the suggested color. That way, if I am having the students trace their own pieces they have that information readily available. 

Students (or I) use the patterns to trace each piece on the desired colors.  The next step is to cut them out. I never cut out pieces for my students unless they are very tiny.

My goal is not a perfect product that looks exactly like mine.

Since I do not cut for them it usually means that their final products have a LOT of characterJ

Next is the assembly. 

They could be assembled and glued onto a piece of construction paper (and then they could add a background if they wanted). 

Or they could just assemble the character.

Once it has been assembled, they can start adding details. 

On this one we tried to make a little camo.  (One year we found some camo wrapping paper and traced the pieces on that and they were very cool).

Finish up with whatever details they desire.

You could make green, blue or tan camo, or any combinations of army green/brown.

The hair could also be changed to match your students’ hair.

They are very cute lined up “military style” on a bulletin board display.

Hope you like it and will take a look at my unit.
Be sure to head back over to see Cynthia at the 2nd Grade Pad for some other great ideas.

Take It & Make It with the 2nd Grade Pad

I'm glad to be back with The 2nd Grade Pad for another week
of Take It and Make It.

In honor of the Easter season, I wanted to share with you a craft idea 

that is included in my new Easter packet, He's Alive!

If you click on the cover above, you can download the directions and pattern.

Copy the cross pattern for each child. Or you could have them trace and cut out of card stock.

(I used card stock because I wanted it to be sturdier.)

Next tear up scraps of brown construction paper and have them cover the entire cross with the scraps.

It gives it a rugged, wooden look.

Copy the scripture page and have them fold it over and glue it to itself.

I have included a copy with no color and also a blank template in case you want to choose a different verse,

or have your kids write it themselves.

Be sure to head over to The 2nd Grade Pad to see what else you can find:)

Beautiful pink frames are from my dear friend Mel over at Graphics From the Pond.