Monday Made It- Table flipcharts, Read aloud display, Character education, and treasure box!

I'm linking up with 4th Grade frolics for my favorite kind of blog post- Monday Made It!

I am starting this week with a project that I am particularly proud of- my new table flipcharts! I've seen something similar in a couple of teacher supply catalogs, but didn't want to pay that much for a couple of sets, especially when I didn't like the colors or text!

I was never able to decide on how I would make my own until I got my comb binding machine this year and now I have done it!

I started by making the cards on the computer, I printed duplicated of the four different categories so that they can be seen on either side of the flipchart. I cut them out and laminated them back to back. Then I cut come of the combs from my comb binding machine to fit the cards and bound them.

My last step was to take some foamboard and glue the last page to it, paint the foamboard black (to prevent pencil scribbles, which are bound to happen at desks...) and attach the Velcro.

I plan to stick some Velcro to all of my student desks so that they stick up in one of the top corners. I will be able to see how every student is doing from anywhere in the room. I added the pink card so that I can have students who are finished coach the students who may be struggling.

I've only completely finished a couple so far and they were pretty time consuming, so I have to get a move on to finish them before school starts on the 18th!

I wanted a way to recognize student birthdays in addition to the wrapped canvas presents display I used last year, so I decided on the birthday club!

I took an unfinished backless frame and painted it green.

Then cut some foam board to fit and covered it with pink felt and added the signs.

I thought I was done, but then I noticed my roll of polka dot ribbon sitting on the counter...

and couldn't help myself!

I plan on taking a group picture of the students who have a birthday that month for the center.

They will hold these cards to show the date of their birthday.

My next project is similar to the birthday club frame, with an added component. I wanted a display for the library that would show off the read aloud for the day, but didn't like any of the easels that I could find in stores, so I decided to make my own!

I used the same kind of unfinished, backless frame as the frame for my birthday club display. Then I took 1 inch wooden cubes and hot glued them together.

I used a dowel glued along one edge to make a lip so the books wouldn't slide off.

Then covered the foam board back and base with felt.

I glued the foam board to the back of the frame and glued the base on with massive quantities of hot glue!

 Normally the ribbon would be purely for decoration, but in this case it covers up the extra layers of glue I added underneath the easel base!

I think this is going to look great hanging in one of my library windows this year!

I am very big on character education and I wanted a way to recognize students for specific traits more frequently than I do with student of the month. Here is my solution!

I am going to pick a trait of the day and we will discuss what it means and role play during our morning meeting. I will pick one or two students who demonstrate that trait during the day and they will get to keep one of these signs on their desk.

I also wanted a way to display the sign until I pick a student, so I took an unfinished wood shadowbox and painted it. I added a sign and I had myself a display! I am thinking of hanging it below the whiteboard so that the students can see it easily (but mostly so that I don't forget it during the morning meeting! I am always forgetting to talk about something...)

I also wanted the students to be able to go home and share their success with their families so I made these stickers using address labels. There is a set for each trait. I just picked a bunch of different graphics so they can choose the one that they like best.

I can't wait to try this out!

 I have been looking for a new treasure chest for next year, preferably one with a lock due to the overwhelming problem with theft I had last year.

I found this $25 chest on sale for $10, added in my 30% employee discount and it was impossible to resist!

Obviously, the princess design was not going to work, so I started my treasure chest makeover by covering it with black felt.

It took quite some time and I may have trimmed some of the edges too close, so I added pink ribbon along all of the seams. It still looked too plain for me so I added some green felt polka dots.

All done! The inside is still princess-themed, but I can't seem to summon the energy to do it this year so it will just have to wait until next year!

That's it for my Monday Made It! Remember to enter my TPT gift card giveaway, it ends tonight at midnight! Winners will be picked and emailed their certificates tomorrow morning, so you will still have plenty of time to shop the TPT sale if you win!

Victoria