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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

'Tis the Season for a FREEBIE!!!

I LOVE family projects, so I thought I would share one of the latest ones I created FOR FREE! Family projects help to build a bridge between home & school and are fun, to boot!
Included is a note to go home explaining the project as well as 4 different Christmas trees to choose from... 2 of which span 2 pages creating an extra big tree! Families will unite to decorate their family Christmas tree as creatively as they wish! Once completed, Christmas trees will be returned to school & hung up for all to see!  ENJOY!!!
Pick yours up here: TPT or TN

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Secret Message!

My co-teacher, Mrs. Johnson, and I experimented today with whiteboard markers during our after school tutoring session and discovered that you can write with them on windows!  They TOTALLY wipe off!  You all probably already knew this, but to us ... a new and fun discovery!  We decided to write a secret message for the class to discover tomorrow.  Check it out:

This is going to be so much fun {and probably CRAZY!}  Just think about it ... the options are endless on an otherwise wasted space. :)  I know the kids will be looking at the windows for messages and THAT EQUALS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO WANT TO READ!  YEEHAW!! {P.S. We also discovered that they work on our tile floors!}

Just thought I'd share!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

"SALE" over to my shop to find every item 55% off in my TN store!

I am excited to be participating the the Teachers Notebook 3-Day Sale! I am offering ALL of my creations at 45% off and Teachers Notebook is adding an EXTRA 10%!  That is over HALF OFF of any item in my store. :)

Head on over to the Smart Tarts Learning Store today.  Sale ends Monday!! 


Email me with any questions: SmartTartsLearning@gmail.com

Happy Shopping! Smart Tarts Learning Store

Friday, November 23, 2012

Can You Smell The Gingerbread Center That The Tart's Been Cookin'?

I LOVE the gingerbread man theme!  Love the books, love the little iced men, love the taste of the cookies... I JUST LOVE IT!  I created a fun little activity for alphabetic awareness: The Gingerbread Alphabet Match Center.

Kids will have a tasty time matching these Gingerbread Daddy {uppercase letters} Cookies to the Gingerbread Daughters {lowercase letters} Cookies in this hands-on center. For kiddos that still aren't sure which letters to match together, I have included a little gingerbread letter line for help.

Other games that can be played with these cute little cookies:

Letter Matching
Memory
Go Fish
"Turn, Say, Keep"
"Name a word that starts with..."
Alphabetical Order Practice
Many more!


You can pick up your very own at either of my shops:
TeachersPayTeachers or TeachersNotebook

HINT ... HINT ... I am running a HUGE sale tomorrow at Teachers Notebook. More to come on that tomorrow.  So until then, sleep tight and don't let the gingerbread men bite! ;)

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Smart Tarts Learning friends!  I wanted to give a little "shout out" of thanks for your support, comments &, really, just for reading my posts. 
 
Smart Tarts was just a little dream my first year of teaching and actually had the name, "Nikki T Creations." That name was around for several years when I realized that if I was ever to begin to hone and sell my items, people who didn't know me would have no idea what a "Nikki T Creation" was. 
 
It took many days and nights to think of a new name ... I say think, but really it felt like it just came to me once I stopped thinking about it. Smart Tarts... that's what children are right?  Little open vessels ready to be filled with knowledge...just as a pastry tart is ready to be filled with jelly. 
 
Well, that was just the beginning... then I had to find a blog name, blog designer {The Honey Bunch Blog Design}, illustrator {Melonheadz Illustration}, facebook page, pinterest ... yada, yada, yada! {Thank goodness for my friends [Sarita, Doodle, Kat Attack, Collinzio, Jayce] and family [hubbie, my kiddos, sister, mom, dad, and so on...] and all of their advice, encouragement & support. I'm sure I was ANNOYING!!!}
 
 I am excited to continue growing Smart Tarts Learning and I am open to ideas for my upcoming creations: Gingerbread, Christmas & Snowman.  Email me or leave a comment.
 
I am thankful for YOU! :)
My girl and me!
My 2 boys!
I'll end with a funny little Thanksgiving poem that I found:
Happy Thanksgiving!

From my family to yours,

Monday, November 19, 2012

You Say, "Tomato." I Say, "Create a Dice Shaker!"

Hello Smart Tarts Friends!  Well, I'm baaaaaaaack with another container creation!  Do the kiddos in your classroom shake their dice and they go flying on purpose?  Yeah, me either. HA!  Well, I MAY have found a solution.  Check out this simple solution.  I know it looks like a regular old tomato container, but once you:
Remove the Sticker...
Add Dice
TA DA! Dice Shaker!
HOW SIMPLE IS THAT?!?!  Wish I had thought of it sooner!

I would love to know which games you will use this dice shaker with...

Happy shaking!