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Monday, August 4, 2014

Dollar Tree Find #7 {of 7} - I Couldn't CONTAIN Myself!

Anyone who knows me KNOWS I have a "mad scientist" brain , which is GREAT for ideas, and NOT SO GREAT for... ORGANIZATION!!  My arch nemesis!  I LOVE to be organized, but my brain just does NOT know how to do it!
Well, one thing that helps this scatterbrain is ... containers!  Not just any containers. Containers that go with my color scheme: turquoise and lime.  Dollar Tree is one of my favorite places for containers, and if you visit different DT's chances are you will find different containers. {Since taking pics for this post, I have even found NEW containers!{They have tons of different colors and each season brings a batch of new colors...sometimes primary. Other times pastel or even neon.}  I took some shots of the shelves at a couple of stores, so you could see some potential options!

CHECK OUT ALL THESE CONTAINERS THAT I BOUGHT!!!!  I am so excited to start figuring out what goes where and which holds what and how they are used and if I need MORE!!!  How could I possibly need more!!!???  {I won't answer that...}
 
Here's to a NEW & ORGANIZED school year!!

GET BACK to school savings JACK!

Hi there all!  Are you participating in the TeachersPayTeachers Back To School Sale??  If so, link your store in the comments.  I'd love to check them out!!

I am participating and offering 20% off all of my hand created {well they kind of are hand created...} products today and tomorrow, August 5th. And USE THE PROMO CODE to get an ADDITIONAL 10% OFF!  Now that's some good stuff right there!!

Check out my store! Smart Tarts Learning

See you later for another Dollar Tree post!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Dollar Tree Find #6 {of 7} - Don't BUG Out in Your Small Group!

Well, someone's been naughty busy and forgot to continue my Dollar Tree posts!  I am SO sorry ... maybe I will have to add a few more "bonus" posts to make up for it. ;)
Well, this next post will make literacy or math Teacher Table time a BUGGY good time!  Here is what I picked up at Dollar Tree:
Packs of Bugs {8 per bag}
Bug Explorer Kits
Safari Hats
**Safari Vests Can Also Be Picked Up There 
{just thought of this ... DOH!}

So ... I made a little sheet for this game called, "Don't BUG Out!"  It's a basic table with 8 spots for whatever skill you would like to focus on... I focused on reading, but I think next time it will be math {subtraction for Violet & number recognition for Mal}. It could be laminated and individualized for each child or group level. {DID YOU NOTICE MY MISTAKE??}
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME:
Players take turns using their tweezers or insect net to select a bug from their mat.  
They have to read or solve what is hiding under their bug.  
If they can read/solve etc... it, then they keep it in their bug box.
If they miss it, they recover the skill & can't come back to it for 2 turns {unless, of course, it is the last one they have to solve.
The first person to clear their board first, WINS!
Getting Started!
WHOOPSIE ... Got One Wrong. All part of learning! 
**BONUS** ... If they are talented enough to grab 2 bugs with one pinch of the tweezers {believe me, it's not easy!} they have a chance to keep both bugs if they can answer both spaces.
 Bugs are YUMMY too??!!
YAHOO ... We had a BLAST!!
I have a question?????? 
WHAT SKILL WOULD YOU FOCUS ON FOR THIS GAME??