FREE Fun Straw Reward Printables


Aussie teacher-friends, I just found these adorable animal straws at Kmart and turned them into special rewards for my kiddos! 

$2 for 4 straws, so it is super-kind to the teacher budget!

Simply print and cut the mini flag pennants. 



Slide the animal down the straw and pop the pennant under the straw. Glue one side. 


And fold over and squeeze. 


You made me jump for joy today! (frog) 
You made me hoppy today. (rabbit)
You bamboo-zled me today! (panda)
You had a roar-y good day! (tiger)


Keep them in a cup and hand them out when you want to reward some awesome behaviour! 


Find the printable download in google drive HERE

Back to School Math Games Update




One of my  Back to School games packets got a freshen up last week! It's a bundle of eight games and perfect for a range of learners in the first weeks of school. 

This is 'Apple Patterns' - students have to create repeating patterns with the apple cards and record their ideas. Simply print a stack of the cards and let them get busy!


Crayon Order is also included in the bundle and will see students order numerals up to 30 from smallest to largest and record on their worksheet. 


If you have already purchased this set from me, be sure to revise your 'My Purchases' in your TpT account and snag the revisions!

A HUGE thank you to Mary who has been helping me with some photography! I'm in LOVE!



While I had 'apple patterns' on the brain I created a fun new classroom banner to complement my existing packets. Use this one as a whole class activity and create a 'repeating pattern' with the pennants to help students create and design their own pattern. I printed the pages for the banner below at 70% scale to achieve a smaller and 'fuller' looking banner!


It is FREE for today! Thank you for your encouraging support of my new banner series, I am really enjoying making them and have so many more to come! 





Have a wonderful day friends!

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Owl Classroom Banner Decor




I've just added an owl themed set to my classroom banners collection!

You can mix and match the pieces from within this set to create hundreds of different layouts! You can also mix them with pieces from my other sets! The possibilities are endless. 




There is a backline version of each pennant, along with a student writing task!

Find this packet in my TpT store by clicking on the image below:


100 Chart Puzzles for the Whole Year!



100 chart puzzles are a very easy way to differentiate for every learner in your K-3 classroom! These puzzles will encourage students to become very familiar with the position and placement of numbers on the 100 chart, counting forwards and backwards, numbers before/after and counting on and off the decade.


You can differentiate by using plain or numbered base boards and also cutting the puzzle pieces into different arrangements. 


Once you have your varying levelled piece sets (just put into baggies), just switch out the base boards and you have a whole year of engaging and differentiated activities!



Find my Year of 100 Chart Puzzles bundled resource in my TpT store HERE



I just did a Facebook video to show you ways to use the 100 chart puzzles. Find my page HERE


Have a wonderful weekend, friends! 

- Mel x

Five for Friday - July 22nd 2016

Hi friends! I am here for Five for Friday! 2 weeks in a row, mind you.

Advance warning. These are dreadfully random. 

1. More Notepads 

Clearly having 75 on my desk already is not enough. Found this adorable cutie from Kmart. 
Discovering how amazing their online store and delivery is, was also a supreme highlight of the week. Possibly the year.


2. Obsessed
I am obsessed with this bathroom cleaner. The fragrance of it to be more precise. It's a little minty and a little apple-y. I am a slightly crazed bathroom cleaning-ninja this week. When I am not cleaning the bathroom I am wondering if I could clean other things *with* the bathroom cleaner. Just so I have an excuse to spray it.
#truth
#IpromiseIamnotweird
#maybeonlyjustslightly


3. Serving Snacks
I have had my first full week of school after winter break. My winter break consisted mostly of staying in my PJs till 1pm, sorting Lego, spraying bathroom cleaner around the house, and making platters of healthy snacks like this one for my two sweeties. 
#theyneverstopeating


4. Bachie is back.
A new reason to LOVE hump day. 5 days and counting. 



5. Ideas
It's an ideasey time of year, and I would love to help you find some cutie patootie things for your classroom. Hop on over to Pinterest and click the follow button! 



Head over to sweet Kacey's blog to find more Five for Friday fun!



Have a super-fan-fabulous weekend my friends! 
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5 Times Tables Craft

Children love to make their learning visual! Combine a bit of arty crafty creativity with rigorous content to help deepen their understanding of key concepts.

Students will draw an array and write the answers to the multiplication problems and create a 'hive' of facts!



Find this new resource in my TpT store HERE


Have a wonderful day friends! 

Pineapple Labels



Hi friends! 


Today, I wanted to show you my newly-listed 'Pineapple Classroom Labels'.

You can print these labels out and write on them, or edit the text in the MS Powerpoint file if you prefer. 

Find this new resource in my TpT store HERE





Use them  to organize your classroom, label books or student desks! The possibilities are endless!



Have a wonderful day friends! 

Be a Pineapple!


Hi friends! 

It is so much fun to have a pineapple theme in your classroom and teach your students to 'stand tall' and be 'sweet on the inside'. This banner will help you implement that mindset in a snap.




Today, my newly 'Be a Pineapple' printable banner pack is on sale!




My printable banner packets provide teachers with an easy and practical way to add some 'wow' to the classroom with a bright and fun display! They also provide opportunities for students to become 'classroom decorators'. Simply use the backline versions and get the paints or crayons out! Your kiddos will enjoy being part of the banner-design process.

Remember, you can mix and match any of the pieces to create an arrangement that is perfect for you! Mixing pieces from different packets would also be a fun way to make something unique for your classroom. 

The 'Be a Pineapple' theme will encourage your students to celebrate diversity and foster positive feelings about themselves. A pineapple has thick skin, stands tall and is sweet on the inside. It will help you discuss with your students how they can be assertive and protect their self-esteem, yet remain a happy, friendly and 'sweet' person!


Included in this packet is also a writing prompt pennant - students can describe how they they they are similar to a pineapple! Should be interesting to read ;) 



Find this new banner packet in my TpT store HERE



Have a wonderful day, friends! 

- Mel x


10 and 20 Frames for Back to School

We have some new number frame activity cards that are perfect for back to school!

There are themed cards that will provide your students with lots of opportunities to practice number skills. Use them with a dry-erase marker or play dough, like we did today!
Counting to 20

clever-owl frames

owl 20 frames

Pencil Frames

back to school math

School Bus Frames

school bus numbers

Schoolhouse Frames

counting games

Find them in my TpT store HERE
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Times Tables Made Easy

This poster has been hanging in our house for a few months. 
It makes us do this:

SO many numbers and such a big task for little ones to muster some enthusiasm for. 

We crossed out the ones we already knew to make it more manageable and 'The Great 38' was born!

 It is a fun and motivating strategy for learning the 'juicy' times tables that are just a little bit tricky and the ones that we need to devote time to memorising. 

We removed the x0, x1, x2, x10 and most of the x11 facts that we know. We talked about why these are so easy.

We also removed all the 'TWINS' - for example, 3x4 is included but NOT 4x3. 

In my printable packet, I have included a students reference sheet clearly showing all multiplication facts and the 'Great 38'. 

This could be used as a desk mat or reference during activities. 

With times tables, I have no problem with 'copying' answers for a while, especially when first introducing them - the goal is memorization, not a conceptual understanding, so a visual aid will boost achievement of our aim, not diminish it. 

After several weeks, I would challenge students to not simply 'copy' answers, but test their memory! A poster for each set of times tables, with the 'Great 38' clearly shown in bold black boxes, is a visual reminder of just how few facts need to be worked on! 

I have included 2 sets (with and without answers) of drill / fluency flashcards and 5 timed test worksheets for practice.

Get your students ready to PARTY with these fun printables and celebrate the fact that their work just got a whole lot easier to manage!


Let's take a look at this x5 poster as an example. I am NOT asking students to attend in focus to:

5x0 - we know anything x0 is 0
5x1 - we know anything x1 is itself
5x2 - we have already covered doubles in addition, and my students would know these
5x3 - we covered that on the x3 poster when we learnt 3x5
5x4 - we covered that on the x4 poster when we learnt 4x5
5x10 - we know that when we times anything x10 we just add a zero
5x11 - we know that we just repeat the digit in the answer (for up to x9)

The remaining facts belong to the 'Great 38' and we will focus on them!


I have included other little reminder tips on the posters, applicable to each set. 




I see huge merit in repeating each of the practice pages more than once. Memorisation comes with systematic repetition!




A teacher reference page will explain the process of eliminating most of the facts, in more detail. Make sure you have a good understanding of why they have been removed and ensure your students know these well before moving onto the 'Great 38'! 


Find this packet in sale this weekend in my TpT store:

Thanks so much for stopping by today - have a wonderful weekend!