May's Monthly Market and GIVEAWAY

It's that time again for Monthly Market!  To participate all you have to do is write a post about one, two, or all three of the topics for the month and link back up to share your ideas.  They can be ideas you've already tried, things you want to try (hello Pinterest!), or products that you've used or plan on using.  The whole point of the market is to swap or trade ideas with people in the same situation as you are.  You can link up all month as well.  This month we are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and the End of the Year (VERY excited to be celebrating that one!). 

Cinco de Mayo:
Is it awful that we really don't do anything to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the classroom?  I usually eat lots of salsa though at home if that compensates for it??? LOL  I would LOVE to hear what some other classrooms do and get some great ideas.

Mother's Day:
Click here for last year's Mother's Day gift: Mom's Gazette.  The kids had a lot of fun creating a newspaper for their mom.  Thanks Martha Stewart for the front page template!  Since there was no back we created an Author's Spotlight (the student's favorites in fifth grade), a BioPoem and coupons for Mom to use!

 

This year I want to make silhouettes of the students with a little twist.  The picture below was my "pinspiration."  Now the twist is that instead of pretty scrapbook paper for the background, I want students to write either twenty different adjectives that describe their mom, or maybe ten reasons why she's the best mom ever, and have them continually repeat like digital art behind the silhouette.  It won't be perfect and some words will get cut off but since it continually repeats down the page you're bound to see it again somewhere else.  Our amazing art teacher showed me this cool site called Tagxedo that will help out with all that and I'm VERY excited to get started.  I'm going to try and make a tester tomorrow so fingers crossed!  I will post pictures of the final product and tell you more about my Tagxedo experience next week for Fourth Grade Flipper's Tried It Tuesday :o)

End of the Year:
The end of the year is always so crazy for fifth grade?!  We have the maturation video (yikes!),  Sunshine State Party, Fifth Grade Party, Safety Patrol Party,  Sunshine State Feast, Book Fair, Award Ceremony, etc.  You get the point.  Since there is all this going on and it is during the day, my kids are always being pulled out of the classroom so it's rare that I have them all together for activities.

One thing I love to do though is Paper Plate Awards.  They aren't the "fancy paper" kind of awards but I think the kids actually prefer these because they are designed and decorated just for them.  It's unique and special and shows that I paid attention to them over the year and I really "GET" them and appreciate them.

(Not from my classroom)

Cannot forget the new monthly writing prompt calendar for our Daily 3: Writing Connection Station!  The first three people to link up will get a copy for free!!!

Go ahead and post your amazing ideas as well!  If you do please include the button and a link back to this post.  Also remember to comment on the blog before and after yours (who doesn't love comments?!).  Don't forget that my 200 Followers Giveaway is still going on until May 5th so be sure and enter for some FANTABULOUS prizes - yep prizes, plural!