You are a Winner!

                   Who would have thought that  

       there  were so many ways to use library pockets!!!

I loved all of your ideas. 

It was impossible to choose 12.

So, everyone is a winner.

Anyone who sent me your idea(s) and mailing address

will receive two packages of your choice of

library pockets.

Make up the project that you submitted

and email a picture of it to me. 

tommie.netzer@creativeteaching.com

I would love to share your great ideas featuring

our great products.

Thanks for playing. 

We will do another give away next month.

If you have not registered as a follower of this blog

why don't you do that now!

We are planning to do something special for just the followers.

Don't be left out! 

How Do You Use Library Pockets?

Important!!!! Send information to tommie.netzer@creativeteaching.com .

I cannot respond to you personally on the blog site.

Five years ago Creative Teaching Press formed an Advisory Council made up of personnel from educational stores from different areas

of the United States and Canada. 

The stores are of varying sizes and represent different demographic areas. 

Some are chain stores while some are single stores.

In January each year the council gathers in California for three days

at the CTP office to meet with people from

marketing, sales, and product development. 

The favorite day for all of us is the day we get to work on

product development.

To be directly involved in what the company produces is exciting.

This year Product Development gave us a sneak peek at some new

library pockets in the Designer Classroom colors.

Everyone on the council loved them. 

They had some input on the designs that were chosen.

The main question was, "What do teachers do with them?"

Finally, the library pockets are here and ready to ship.

CTP6917 Dots on Black

CTP 6919 Dots on Chocolate

CTP 6920 Dots on Turquoise

 

 CTP 6921 Paisley Doodles

 

CTP 6918 Poppin' Patterns

CTP 6922 Stripes and Stitches

Now, here is the question....

How do you use library pockets?

This is my sample of what to do with them.

Here is where you come in....

Send me your ideas of things to do with library pockets

and you may win a free package of your choice.

Follow these rules:

Send in your unique idea (pictures are ideal) before June 17

tommie.netzer@creativeteaching.com.

You must provide:

your name

email address

mailing address

CTP number and name of the desired library pockets

On June 17, twelve people will be selected to win a free package.

I will post the winners at that time so you can watch for your pockets!

I can't wait to see your ideas and pictures!

End of the Year Beach Party

A Beach Party is a perfect way to end the year. 

No Beach?.....No Problem!







All you need is a parking lot and a bunch of kids.

Set up beach towels on the sidewalk.
Don't forget the sunscreen!

You need a plastic wading pool with plenty of water.

Add a few buckets and squirt bottles.

Be sure to explain all the rules!
(Not one child was injured in the making of these pictures!)

The name of the game is
Get Wet!

Everyone lines up behind the cones which are
 several yards away from the water source.

The first person in line races to the water

and fills her or his bucket....

there are no extra points for style.

Then she or he runs back to the cones

and pours the water on the head
of the next person in line.

Soon everyone is thoroughly soaked.

The person who poured the water
goes to the end of the line
and the soaked person races to the water. 
He can take his revenge on the next person in line.

The games goes on until everyone
is laughing and giggling! 


Just like at a real beach,
everyone is tired by the end of the day
and a warm towel feels really good.

If you would like to see all the pictures

of our day at the beach, click on the Smilebox below.

There are so many smiles on the faces of the kids.

It is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, too.

Don't forget to crank up the volume for the full affect.

Free slideshow created with Smilebox

Free slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Free slideshow created with Smilebox

Free slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Happy Father's Day

This is one of my favorite books.
It is now available as an e-book which means you can order it now
and begin downloading it immediately.
CTP 2399EB
http://www.creativeteaching.com/

This is one of the pages for June.
The "guy with a tie" would make a great Father's Day card. 
It would be interesting to see how the kids filled in the blanks
about their dads.

Shirts and ties are traditional Father's Day presents.
I wonder how many dads still wear ties to work.
The days of Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best are over.

Brain Williams reported on Nightly News this week that
according to the 2010 census only 48% of the homes
in America were headed by married couples.
That is down from 78% in the 1950s.
The number of homes headed by single women was up 20%.

               

That is why I like this little book (CTP 4530).
It celebrates all the special people who represent dads to kids.

In the book the teacher asks the kids to make a Father's Day card for their dads. 
One child says, "I don't have a Dad". 
So, they start listing all the important men in their lives
and why they love them.....
fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, brothers, uncles.
The teacher says, "You can make a card for any man that you love and respect."

This is an activity that you will find on the back cover of the book.


My Dad’s Hug Is This Big!

Ask children to measure their dad’s hug with string.
Tell them to have their dad lie down on the floor and stretch his arms out to the side.
Have them ask a family member to hold one end of the string at the tip of their father’s fingers on one side while they stretch it all the way across to his other fingertips.
Have them cut the string, trace on construction paper both of their dad’s hands, cut out the patterns, and label them.
Tell children to bring the string and the handprints back to school.
Invite them to cut a strip of butcher paper the same length as the string and glue the handprints to each end.
Have them title the paper My Dad’s Hug Is This Big!

This is another project that kids can make as a gift for dad. 

To find detailed instructions on how to make it click on the link below.

It will take you to the CTP website.

http://www.creativeteaching.com/ctp/i/t/htu/66-Dads-Toolbox.pdf




This project is made using a wooden picture frame from a craft store. 
 In this picture Trevor and his dad are working on a car
for the Boy Scouts pine-wood derby. 

# 1 DAD for sure.

Click on the link below for instructions.

http://www.creativeteaching.com/ctp/i/t/htu/65-Fathers-Day-Frame.pdf

                                                                                                                                      



(Handy Tools CTP 1794)


Why are dads associated with tools?
Why is a power drill a "man toy"?
Is it about building something?

I think the most important thing a man can build is the character of a child!

Happy Father's Day
to all the men who are doing just that....

 



Book Buddy Report

Here are some of the ideas that I received for using the Book Buddy Bags.

From Mary in Hutchinson, KS
I am really excited to hear that I may be able to win some book buddy bags because I was planning on purchasing some of these this summer! I have been buying CDs this school year to help some of my struggling readers hear fluency and then practice reading the book aloud to practice fluency. I have books with CDs stashed all over my classroom and nothing to keep them in. These book bags will really help me to get organized and make it easier for my students to check the books out from me.




From Roberta in Medina, NY
Thank you!!!!!!!



Oh my goodness! I can think of many things to use the bags for! I would like to have my Kindergarten children take home books for their nightly bedtime story. Many children do not have books at home for their parents to read to them, so we provide the books.


These durable plastic bags could hold the books and perhaps some extra items like ideas for reading and maybe a little reading "buddy".


I can think of more but now that I typed this, I am really invested in this idea!!!!!!


This is my favorite from Ana because she is my long-distance fan.  I love her excitement about everything.  We take so many things for granted in our country.


Hello Tommie!

Today I have received the bags!


They are fantastic! I am going to use with my pupils of course! I want to go USA, because I like very much all the educational material which you have in your classes.


Thank you very very much


You are very nice, I will follow you in your blog!


Greetings from Spain!

She wants to come to the USA.  I would love to visit her in Spain. 
Maybe we can work something out!!!!


This is from Paige in Illinois
I am a second grade teacher in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and I have recently become a follower of yours! You have so many beautiful, creative and useful ideas! I can't wait to see what you come up with next!


I would love to use the durable bags in my classroom for thematic units of study. Each month; my students learn about something "fun" outside of our set curriculum. For example; this month, we are doing an ice cream unit. I always have my students create a file folder to hold all of their work/supplies; but everything easily gets lost and falls out. These adorable bags would be a blessing to my students to use to hold all of their creative things.


Thank you so much for considering me!

We had such a great time doing this.  It was fun to read all the entries.  I am sorry that I ran out of inventory before I got to everyone.  I was at CTP last week.  We decided that this was such a great success that we would do some sort of give away each month. 

                   (I feel like Oprah! Just don't expect any cars!) 

              Stay tuned to see what we do next. 

                           



All Gone!

Sorry Bag Ladies but as of 5 p.m. (central) 
my inventory has been depleated. 

Thanks for helping to clean out my closet.
The next time I over oder I will let you know.

The bags are available online from CTP.

I am leaving tomorrow for California
to do some work at the office and
maybe spend a little time at the beach.  
When I return next week I will share with you
some of the ideas that were sent in for using the bags.

Thanks for playing!!!   

Bag Ladies

Book Buddy Bags

Keep students' books, homework, projects, and other classroom materials protected and well organized, whether they're safely stored in your classroom or en route to or from students' homes. Each clear, plastic bag comes with a sturdy handle, a full-color design on the front, and a place to write a student's name or to label the bag's contents.  6 bags per pack.

I was recently working on a project for CTP which called for some of the Book Buddy Bags. I needed 100 bags for the project so I ordered the CTP product number that was assigned to the bags.  Notice the words highlighted in blue in the paragraph above. (I didn't.) 

Guess how many bags I received in my order...600!  

                       What do you do with 600 Book Buddy Bags?

After I finished my project, I set out to lower my inventory of bags. 

I gave a few dozen to some kindergarten teachers.  They send home 5 books every Monday with each child for them to read during the week.  The bags were perfect because they are made from heavy plastic and have a sturdy handle which is just right for kindergarden hands. Now, they will have fresh new ones for next year.

I gave some to a teacher who was doing a presentation for her school district for all the teachers in her grade-level.  The bags worked really well to organize the materials that she was giving to each teacher.

Then, I went to see Shauna Leonard, librarian at Heritage Elementary in Grapevine, TX.  I asked her if she could use some of the bags. 

                                 She exclaimed, "You are an answer to my prayer!" 

                                                That is Texas talk for "YES!"



Shauna had recently received a grant for some audio books called "Playways".
She needed some way to store them in the library
so that teachers could check them out to use in centers
in their classrooms.

Here are some comments from Shauna.
The "Poppin' Patterns clear hanging bags are phenomenal. 
They are perfect for all types of library materials. 
The newest technology for audio books is a "Playaway". 
A Playaway is the simplest way to listen to audio on the go. 
These devices are pre-loaded with digital content. 
Simply plug in earphones and enjoy. 
No cassettes, or CDs, no downloads, just play! 
The hanging bags provide protection for the Playaway, battery,
earphones, lanyard, and book.  

Now, Shauna is a real Bag Lady!

She helped me reduce my inventory quite a bit, but I still have some left. 
 If you are a bag lady and can think of something clever to do
with a few really cool Book Buddy Bags,
I will send you some. 

I will send 24 bags to 10 Bag Ladies. 
All you have to do is email me your name and address
and tell me what you are planning to do with them.
The first 10 who email me will get them absolutely free!
tommie.netzer@creativeteaching.com

Cheers to the Bag Ladies of the World!