Christmas Craftiness...Tried it Tuesday...

I have been really excited to share today's post for Tried it Tuesday 

with my sweet buddy, Holly, at Fourth Grade Flipper.

I have two awesomeness Tried It's to share that you don't want to miss.

There are lots of pictures, but I promise it will be worth it.

Awesomeness #1: Christmas Elf Glyph for 4th, 5th, 6th Grade Math

I found this really cute Christmas Elf Glyph on TpT for F-R-E-E.

This was a perfect math activity for this time of year and a 

great review for order of operations, exponents, and prime & composite numbers.

Half of the elves...

and the other half.

bright and vivid...

super cute...

love all the details...

Awesomeness #2: Christmas Crafts

Every year my bestie, AC, and I ask our parents for a donation for crafts to make with the students in our class...42 total.  We have found that it works perfectly if we go out and purchase all of the materials, get them organized, and then ask parent volunteers to come in and help us with these crafts.  We place the students in stations with a picture sample and checklists for volunteers to check off each students' name as they complete the craft.  This year we had FOURTEEN crafts.  We set aside two hours for two days to complete all these wonderful crafts.  

Yes, it's loud.  Yes, it's messy.

Yes, we want to pull our hair out.

No, we wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

The kids L-O-V-E doin' these crafts and their parents treasure them.

Since we both are loopin' teachers, we have to change our crafts EVERY year.

Yes, you read that right.

Thank you to Pinterest for helpin' us make cute crafts the past few years.

I am includin' a few of the crafts and the original pin where we got the inspiration from.

We got some awesome deals at our local craft stores.

Original pin: Snowman Light

We bought a box of 16 lights at Hobby Lobby for $9.99 and then used a 40% off coupon.

We bought a box of 24 lights at Michael's for $19.99 and then used a 50% off coupon. 

We bought a pack of 3 lights at Walmart for less than $2.00.  

I have heard they have a box of 24 at Sam's for $13.99, but didn't purchase any there.

My total was 43 lights for $18...YES!

We used glitter black foam for the hat, Sharpie for the eyes and mouth, ribbon for the scarf and hanger.

Ribbon was also 50% off at Hobby Lobby.

Original pin: Santa letter

We bought wooden letters, 2 in a pack for $1.47 and 30% off of wood.

Red, and black acrylic paint for $2.99 a bottle.

Glitter red, white, and gold foam.

White ribbon for 50% off.

Original pin: Melted Snowman

Glass ornaments: 12 in a pack for $7.99 at Hobby Lobby.  

These are in the back by glass and are 50% off.

Scarf ribbon for 50% off.

Fake snow at Dollar Tree.

Googly eyes.

Glitter black foam for arms and glitter orange foam for the nose.

Original pin: Stick snowman

This whole craft was from left over materials that we purchased for the other crafts.

Original pin: Ceramic ornaments

These didn't turn out like the original pin, but we made it work for us.

$1.47 a piece at Hobby Lobby and 50% off of that.  

We wish we would've checked Michael's first because they were actually $1.27 there and 50% off.

Painted with yellow or green acrylic paint and sprinkled with gold glitter.

Original idea: Reindeer dog biscuits

I saw this on Jane's blog, Learning in the Little Apple. Absolutely precious!

We used the large Milk Bone biscuits, but medium could work too. 

Original pin: Snowglobe

Christmas trees at Hobby Lobby.  8 in a pack for $2.99 and 50% off of that.

Silver glitter and one pack of little foam beads.

Clear cup, scrapbook paper on the bottom, and a glitter piper cleaners.

Original pin: Elves

We printed different colorin' pages of elves.  

The students got to choose which elf they wanted to use.

We had photos printed for their faces.

Original pin: Recycled paper snowman

We borrowed shredded paper from the office staff to make snowballs.

The rest of the materials were also left over from previous crafts.

Original pin: Sharpie colored ball

Frosted balls at Hobby Lobby in glass section.  

12 in a pack for $7.99 and 50% off of that.

Original pin: Days until Christmas Charger

Chargers at Dollar Tree for $1 a piece.

Metallic Markers two in a pack at Walmart for $0.75.

You can read about when I originally made these here.

  This was everything in their separate buckets ready for craftin' to begin...

We opened up the wall between both classes and had a craft at all 12 tables.

 3rd graders and 5th graders were mixed up together workin' on their crafts.

This sweet volunteer was so patient.  

The boys and girls were crowded around her.

   

 We kept a dryin' page for each student on the floor and a paper bag for transport home.

We had a great big mess to clean up and glitter all over the place, BUT

we can't wait to do it again next year.

Be sure to check out the other awesome Tried It's at Holly's blog.

I'll leave you with this because it's just too beautiful not to share.

Sunset in Florida this week.