Teaching Art & Loving It

Even though I am working in a self-contained classroom in a small school (we have 3 teachers K-8), I am excited that we decided to do some electives together instead of independently. I was named the "art" teacher for the school, and I have big plans. I am having so much fun. I love the project we recently finished in my 3rd-5th grade class and are finishing up in the 6th-8th one next week. 

We created these super cute graffiti walls. Students used a graffiti generator online to write their names. They took a screen shot on their Ipads and then traced it with tracing paper. They used tongue depressors and hot glue to build fences. At this point they could decide to paint their backgrounds or keep them plain. Afterwards, they used carbon paper to trace their names (that were written on tracing paper) onto their fences. Then they used paint markers to color their names. They could add some designs to their fences if they wanted to. 

Finally, we painted some foam to look like grass, cut a slit in it and glued in their fences. Then they added plants and rocks. They turned out so cute and the students loved them too. 

Here's a little peek at the ones that are done so far. 

What a Wonderful World Mural

For the month of March, we have been hard at work creating a collaborative mural with lots of art projects added to the bigger murals. I ended up splitting everything up into three different murals. 

Inspiration for this idea came from the fun and fabulous Cassie Stephens. She did something very similar and I took those ideas and created my own version. You can check out her version over here on her blog.

The three panels I made are approximately six feet tall each. I used hot glue to hold everything together and glue things down. To hang it up, I used thumb tacks because we have a wooden strip at the top of the wall that butts up to the ceiling. I used a hammer to tap the tacks into the wood because it was definitely hard to hold the mural while balanced on a ladder and still hold one tack and hammer away with the other hand...but I got it done!

Here's a look at our artwork in process! Enjoy!

Here they are after I hung them up. The last was a little crooked, but it is what it is. It's up and I am not taking it down. 

Football Reading Comprehension Wreath Craft: A Fun, Hands-On Literacy Activity for your Classroom

Looking for a fun, engaging way to boost reading comprehension while keeping your students motivated? This football-themed reading comprehension wreath craft is the perfect blend of literacy, creativity, and seasonal excitement - making it a favorite for both teachers and students. 

Whether you are celebrating football season, planning a Super Bowl classroom activity, or simply trying to add more hands-on learning to your literacy block, this craft helps students interact with texts in a meaningful way - not just answer questions and move on. 

Why Teachers Love Football-Themed Reading Activities

Seasonal themes make learning feel special. When students see something familiar and exciting, like football, they instantly feel more connected to the activity. 

This football reading comprehension craft: 

• Keeps students engaged
• Encourages deeper thinking about texts
• Provides a visual representation of understanding
• Works as a bulletin board display
• Supports multiple learning styles

Instead of just throwing out another worksheet, students build their comprehension, piece by piece, using this interactive wreath.

What is the Football Reading Comprehension Wreath Craft?

This craft allows students to respond to a reading passage, book, or story by completing structured prompts (from a menu of choices) and assembling them into a football-themed wreath craft. 

Each piece of the wreath represents a different reading skill such as:

• Character
• Setting
• Problem/Solution
• Text Connections
• Favorite Part

Once assembled, students have a visual summary of their thinking - and teachers have an instant comprehension check. 

Perfect for so Many Classroom Uses

This football literacy craft is extremely versatile. Teachers can use it for:

• Football-themed reading centers
• Small group instruction
• Whole-class novel studies
• Independent reading responses
• Book reports
• Earlier finisher activities
• Bulletin board displays
• Hallway showcases
• Super Bowl week lessons

It works especially well for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, but can easily be adapted up or down, depending on the needs of your students. 

Why Crafts Improve Reading Comprehension

Craft-based literacy activities aren't just "fun extras" - they are powerful learning tools. 

This interactive reading comprehension craft helps students:

• Slow down and reflect on the text
• Organize their thinking
• Use academic language
• Make text based connections
• Stay motivated longer

Students are much more likely to engage with comprehension questions when they know they are building something meaningful. 

Easy Prep for Busy Teachers

One of the best parts? This football reading craft is designed to be print-and-go. 

Just get started by following these steps: 

1. Print the template for each student
2. Assign, or read aloud, a short story
3. Let students respond and assemble

No more complicated materials. No stress. Teachers will love that this activity feels special without all the hours of prep. 

Makes the Perfect Bulletin Board

Once they are finished, these wreaths make stunning classroom displays. They are colorful, personal, and full of student thinking. Try pairing them with a fun heading such as: 

• Touchdown Reading!
• We're Scoring Big in Comprehension
• Reading Champions
• Game on, Readers!

Your classroom will feel festive, purposeful, and student centered. 

Great for Differentiation

This football craft can be easily differentiated: 

• Give easier prompts to struggling readers
• Use sentence starters with emerging writers
• Open-ended responses for advanced students

You can also assign different texts to different groups and still use the same craft structure.

A meaningful alternative to traditional worksheets

If you're tired of students rushing through comprehension worksheets, this football reading response craft gives them a reason to slow down and think. 

Students are not just answering a set of questions, they are creating something meaningful along the way. 

And the best part is, they're proud to show it off!

Want to Try it in Your Classroom? 

If you are looking for a football-themed reading comprehension activity that is:

• Hands-on
• Engaging
• Low prep
• Visually appealing
• Educationally meaningful

...this wreath craft might be exactly what you need. It is a simple way to make literacy fun while still targeting essential comprehension skills. 

You can find this printable activity in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop. It has clear instructions, student-friendly templates, and easy classroom implementation. 

If football season brings extra energy to your classroom, this is a great way to channel that excitement into purposeful literacy learning. 

Get it right here.

Looking for some more football fun for the classroom? Check out these other blog posts below for more!

Math Block: Football Season Classroom Fun

Football Room Transformation

Math Block: The Best of the Best Engaging Math Activities

12 Days of Christmas Day 5: Christmas Art

I love doing special art projects during Christmastime. One of my favorites is to give my students a long sheet of white paper cut in half length-wise. It is tall and skinny and the perfect size to create their very own nutcrackers. Nutcrackers are a staple of Christmas. You literally see them all over the place. They come in so many different styles, so students can be super creative. 

It is fun to see how each individual child in my classroom puts their own spin on it. These two are from my own children when they were in my class. My daughter was in my class when I taught 3rd grade. I taught my son for three years, but he was in second when he drew the one on the left. Both of my kids are now in middle and high school, but these are among their treasured papers from each grade that I keep in a box for them. 

For this art project, we used Art for Kids Hub's video. It is a draw along step-by-step video and I just pause it frequently so the students can have more time. Then each student gets to decorate it in their own way. You can check out the video we use here. 

What art projects do you do each year at Christmastime?

Back-to-School and a TPT Sale

Hello Teacher Friends,

I don't know about you, but I am feeling the overwhelm of summer vacation ending and the back-to-shool season beginning. It is a little stressful thinking that in less than a week, I will have my classroom full of students...this week we are gearing up with our teacher planning days and if I am honest, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the carefree summer days.

Even in the midst of saying goodbye to summer vacation, I am excited to say hello to the TPT sale this week. You cannot beat 25% off. I stocked my cart all summer with my favorite resources so that I can purchase things to help me plan my year. Maybe you are in the same boat. If you are looking for resources to make your year easier, let me show you a few back-to-school goodies that may be a fit for you.

Spy Academy Multiplication Bundle

Want to get your kiddos engaged and excited to learn those multiplication facts? Spy Academy might be just the thing. This is a multiplication learning system designed to help students learn their facts in 12 weeks. That's just one set per week! Students will love the Spy theme and you will love that your students actually WANT to learn. Filled with activities that target different learning styles, flash cards, partner activites, coloring sheets, task cards, and even a spy games, this is sure to be a winner in your classroom.

Year-Long Multiplication Centers Bundle

Finding centers that can keep your students learning while you are doing small groups can be a definite challenge. That's why I love these easy-to-prep multiplication centers. You only have to teach the students how to play the three simple games once and then each month they play the same game, but with a different theme. The changing themes keeps them engaged and you have more time to teach. These are perfect for year-round multiplication practice that will be sure to keep your students sharp in their multiplication facts. The best part is that they are differentiated for different ability levels.

First Week of School Resources

This time of year is always hectic with so much to line up for the school year. These activities will help you take some of your time back so you can focus on other things as you prep for the year.

Back-to-School Teambuilding

Team building activities are essential to building community within your classroom in the first weeks of school. I love using this art challenge with my class. Students are placed in groups and each group is given a bag of the same art supplies. The teams are given a theme. They then will use the bag of supplies to create a collaborative art project. Teams will have a certain amount of time to create their art display. If you love the show Chopped, then you will love this. This is a spin on the Chopped challenges, with an art twist and some friendly competition.

Get-to-Know You & Bulletin Board Activity

Get to know you activities don't have to be boring! I love to use the two truths and a lie activity in my classroom. Students come up with two things about themselves that are true, but could seem like a lie. They come up with a lie that could seem like a truth. The fun comes when each student reads off their list and their classmates try to figure out which is the lie. This comes with a foldable that can become a bulletin board guessing game as well. Students can color their picture and write their statements inside. Then the class can try to guess while enjoying the pictures on the board. There are over 30 different face styles included.

Parent Communication

We all know parent communication is important if we want to have a successful year. That's why these binders are so helpful. They make communicating with parents a breeze. From the newletter template to the positivie notes home and the communication logs, these binders are sure to make your life a whole lot easier and keep your parents happy in the process. These come in three different styles with editable forms included.

Classroom Decor

If you are looking for a new look that gives your classroom a little something extra, one of these decor sets may be just the thing for you.

I hope this year is everything you want it to be and more. Have a wonderful school year!

-April