Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade Tidbits: Sunday 6 May 26

Hello and Happy Almost Summer to me!!! I have 2 teacher work days left this week and then I am a free woman! I hope you all are getting close to being finished, as well! Thanks for stopping by for another "Sunday 6!" This post is about 6 random things from my week. Enjoy!

We received a surprise in the mail from Sandals! Our trip to Jamaica is quickly approaching and I couldn't be more excited for it! Have you ever done a Sandals trip? This will be our 4th in a row (we are obsessed!) and our 2nd time to Jamaica! So pumped about heading back to Jamaica. The people there are very friendly, the area is beautiful, and the food is amazing!

Speaking of great mail, my "June Kindergarten Crate" arrived last weekend! Can you figure out the theme by the photo below? Such fun activities were included! I especially loved the teacher gifts this month: s'mores coffee and new smelly markers! The KC is such a great idea! It's a subscription service and they send you a themed-box each month. Each box includes a read-aloud picture book, student activities, supplies, and a teacher gift (or two)! It originally began as a subscription box for kindergarten teachers, but has expanded to pre-K and first grade. If you are interested in checking out Kindergarten Crate, click HERE! You can always try one box first to see if you like it (or ask for a subscription as a gift!).

Last week, my kids worked on/completed their Memory Books. Each day, we completed one or two pages and when they were complete, I binded them together (and added in a few fun surprises: a class photo and student photos). I gave the completed books to the kids on the second to last day of school (many kids do not show up on our last day because it is a 1/2 day). They were DYING when they saw their books! They loved the binding and the photos I added in. Such a simple yet great gift for them! If you want to check out the binding machine and coils I use for the memory books, click HERE. Once you are at my Amazon store, click on "Classroom Supplies" to see the machine and coils. Sidebar: We have a binding machine at school, but it's super old and the coils are cheap.

**In the future, I will most likely bind them first, to save time. You can check out my memory book listing by clicking the cover page below. Covers are included for grades k-2 and several pages are editable. Check out the preview for more information.

This next photo is simply a snack PSA. It's legit the bomb. Try it this summer and thank me later!

Here's another simple gift I gave my kids: a personalized note. I tried to include several compliments in each note as well as a note about what the kids told me they were doing during the summer. The personalized touch really makes a difference! My kids were THRILLED with their notes. Their faces as they read them were truly priceless and it brought tears to my eyes. When they were done opening them, they asked if they could read them aloud to the class. So I said "Yes." 18 kids came up to the share chair and read their notes aloud. It was so sweet.

The last two days of school were full of tears, surprises, and excitement. Below are a few goodies I got from my kids. I NEVER get gifts for anything from my kids and I am totally ok with it. I work in a low-income school district. This year, however, I received several bouquets of flowers, a hanging basket, a $15 Starbucks gift card, some chocolate, and a fun wine glass! I was shocked and so appreciative!