Chalkboard Fabric!!!

As you saw on my last post about the Academic Games, I have recently come upon the amazingness that is CHALKBOARD FABRIC!!!  I found it at Joann's Fabric in their Utility Fabric section.  it was only $4.99 a yard!  Just a heads up, it is a single side of fabric.  It's not folded over like normal fabric.  Still worth it in my opinion though!

When you buy the fabric you get a lovely direction sheet (thank goodness!).

In fact,  it is quite easy to use!  All you have to do is rub chalk all over the surface of the fabric, make sure to cover every inch.  I used the long side of the chalk and it took less than five minutes.  I used the large, fat chalk from Crayola.

 

Wipe it down with the cloth and you are ready to go!  You'll notice on the board below that the bottom looks a bit more crumply than the top.  That's because I hadn't bought enough fabric the first go around.  The first purchase the woman rolled it for me and on the second one (the bottom half) she folded it for me.  If you're OCD like me, DON'T GET IT FOLDED!

From here you can write anything you want and it wipes off very easily when you are ready for something new!  I can't wait until next year!  I have so many ideas for it but the one I am the most excited about is a display for student's work.  I was thinking about putting it in the hallway but since it does wipe off so easily I'm concerned about little hands wiping off all my messages.  So it might just go in the classroom!  Either way, I will be using it!  A LOT!  Here is a finished product for our Academic Games score board.

What are some different ways you would use chalkboard fabric in the classroom???

Monday Made It #2 - Book Recommendation Carousel

It's Moday Made It time and I've once again linked up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics!  I feel like I have been nonstop crafting and it is taking over my house.  Thankfully this linky party is making me finish these projects instead of just jumping around.  This week's creation is my Book Recommendation Carousel.

I found this great idea on Pinterest (where would we be without it?) and wanted to recreate it but for student's book recommendations.  Last year I had a sports theme and I made a baseball bat poster that said "Sure Hits" and students wrote down books that they thought were amazing.  It was great up until it was so full you couldn't read any of the books anymore.  This year I wanted to break it up by genre since they will be doing the 30 book challenge from the Book Whisperer.

The genre posters are from Beth Newingham but I did recreate some of them so the books were more on the 5th grade level (she teaches third).  The book recommendation sheet I created on Word and put it on top of fancy paper from JoAnn's.  Slide it into a sheet protector and place them in the binder rings.  Close the binder rings around the paper towel holder and you're done!  This could be used for a number of things, including showing off student's work!  If you have any more ideas for the carousel I would LOVE to hear them!

Sabra

Monday Made It #1 - Crafty Clipboards

Ok, it's official... This linky party stuff is addictive!  I've just joined another one with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics.

Every Monday I'll upload one of the many crafts I'm creating this summer!  Since I already have a few going I better get some of them finished, lol!  The theme for my classroom this year seems to be Pinterest so be prepared.  I'm sure when I start to look at everyone else's creations I will be making a lot more - this could be dangerous.  I'm so excited!!!

Here is my newest obsession - Crafty Clipboards.  I will be making 20 of these bad boys.  Yes, you read that right... 20!  I will be putting them up in a grid formation on one of my blank walls and this will be where students display their wonderful work.  I haven't decided what to call it yet, but I want it to be something clever and catchy.

Sorry the pictures are a little dark and fuzzy, I took the pictures with my phone)

Surprisingly these were not as difficult (or expensive) to make as anticipated.  I got the clipboards from Office Depot for $1/each (they are always that price) and the paper from Michaels and Jo-Anns with coupons and sales.  The best advice I can give anyone making these is to create a template when making your first board.  It will save you hours of time in the long run.  Once you've cut your paper to your liking, spread modge podge on the clipboard and then attach the paper.  Be careful, it sticks easily!  Once you've smoothed it down with your hand take a pan scrapper or an old credit card and run it across your paper to get all the air bubbles out.  Trust me - they're there.  When you have glued all your paper and embelishments on give the whole thing another coat of Modge Podge and voila!  You've created your own crafty clipboard.  These are also great for teacher appreciation gifts ;o).  Until next Monday...
Sabra