Building Minds, One Bag at a Time

Every year I come up with new goals for myself or my classroom for the next year.  This years goals are:

1. Student-led Classroom
2. Incorporate more literature and technology
3. Have more family involvement

I'm already working on goal number one with Learn Like a Pirate and I've got some new ideas and activities up my sleeve for goal number two (thanks to some of my BBBs!).  Goal number three was a big one and I wasn't sure how I wanted to go about it but knew that I needed the help of Donor's Choose (LOVE THEM!).  They are a wonderful organization that allows teachers to post projects that will benefit their students and people all around the world can donate to those projects!

I know people are busy and have lives/multiple jobs and if that is the case, I want to capitalize on their time at home then!  I have lots of parents who want to help their kids but aren't really sure where to start or what to do and sending home a review packets isn't really helping anyone (especially if that student wasn't getting in class that day either).

My solution?  Family Learning Bags!  Think Literacy Bags (mixed with other subjects and activities) meets Family Game Night meets The 7 Habits.  That's a lot to think about, I know!  Let's have a picture, shall we?

Oooohhhh!  Ahhhhhhh!

We are a Leader in Me school and Habit 7 is Sharpen the Saw!  In a nut shell that means taking time for you.  Do what you love to relax your mind, heart, body and soul.  These bags will have activities to do all of those things with your family: books, games (educational - some more obvious than others), recipes, activities/crafts, and more!  With these bags I'm hoping to help students reinforce skills, bring families closer together, introduce everyone to new activities or topics they wouldn't normally be exposed to, and chances to sharpen your saw!  Now that I have my own little family, I want to spend all my time with them and I definitely don't want to be grading papers while I'm doing it.  I can only assume my student's families feel the same way about homework during family time.  Who wouldn't rather be playing a game than doing math problems on a worksheet?!  Click here for more information on the project!

Usually I send a letter home to kids and get the donation ball rolling but since we're not in school, and I would love to have these ready to go the first week of school, I'm coming to y'all for help.  I believe in these bags so much that I wanted to do a giveaway to help promote them!  If you donate even a dollar to this project for my kiddos, you can enter in the drawing to win your choice of any MINI sign from Tallahassee Sunday!  You can also use the match code SPARK to double your donation!  

This is the one I have!  Let me tell you that this was not an easy decision!  I couldn't decide if I wanted the apple (red or green), the pencil (SO many options there - polka dots, chevron, glitter, etc.), the puzzle piece (my heart will always be with my ASD kids), or make a custom one!  They also have signs for other special area teachers!  Even a cute band-aid if you work in the clinic :o)

Thank you so much for any help you can give my kiddos!  I know they will be very appreciative, along with their families!  Don't forget to use the match code SPARK to double your donation!  This giveaway will end on Sunday, June 28, 2015, so enter while you have a chance!

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