Fun with my Cameo and New Units

Well, today I decided to finally get my Silhouette Cameo out of the box!  I have had the sweet little gem since November, but just seriously haven't had the time to even open the thing, much less figure out how to use it.  After hours of playing today, I'm pretty sure I still have no idea how to use it, but I did manage to pump out some fun vinyl lettering!  If you "Like" my 2nd Grade Stuff Facebook Page, you have already seen these fun little creations!

Background by Ashley Hughes, Frame by The Enlightened Elephant, and Fonts by Kimberly Geswein.

Now let me explain how I plan to use each of the fun little creations in the classroom.

1. The first thing I made with the black vinyl was lettering to go on my drawers that I keep by my desk.  You see, in a teacher's world, there is grading, copying, and filing, and it happens all day every day and it never ever stops.  Paper piles drive me crazy, so my drawers keep me somewhat sane in the paperwork craziness.  I think the drawers are pretty self-explanatory and this (I'm sure) is not a new idea!  I did remove the cute scrapbook paper that I once had used to decorate the fronts of the drawers because I really needed to be able to see in.  I noticed that I had a tendency to forget things, because I couldn't see in because of the cute scrapbook paper.  So, not as cute, but more functional!


2. Next, I made vinyl lettering for my Kiss Your Brain jar!  Whenever a student gives a great answer or makes an awesome discovery, I always tell them to "kiss their brain" and then I throw them a chocolate kiss!  They absolutely love it and grin ear-to-ear when they get to "kiss their brain".  So this just makes it a little cuter than the pink basket they were in!


3. Finally, I used the same style jar and made a Bubble Gum Group jar.  Now this is something super special in my classroom.  Every day at the end of the day, I choose a bubble gum group.  This is the group that packs up all their belongings, picks up their table area, and gets to the carpet as quickly as they can, and of course as quietly as they can!  Right before the bell rings, I pick the bubble gum group.  It works wonders for a quiet dismissal time!  I also pick a bubble gum group randomly throughout the day possibly during ELA or Math centers.  This really encourages the groups to work efficiently and quietly.  You would be amazed what the kiddos will do for a piece of bubble gum!


I really had fun with my Cameo today.  Next project: I plan to cut out some cute bulletin board letters with some more KG Fonts!  I'll post more pics when I do.

While you're here, let me remind you of my May Common Core Writing Activities that are now in my TPT Store.  Once again, you can practice the 3 main types of writing found in the Common Core Standards PLUS shared research writing, also found in the CCSS.  They are appropriate for Grades 1-4 and offer fun, authentic, themed writing prompts.  Each prompt includes a task page, a graphic organizer, and publishing paper with both primary and intermediate lines for differentiation purposes.

In the May Common Core Writing Pack, your students will be writing their opinion on whether students need a summer break or if year-round school would be a better option.  The students will also be writing an informative article explaining and describing the parts of a flower and their importance.  In the narrative piece, students will be writing about their favorite memory of the school year so far (which every student can easily relate to).  Finally as a shared research writing piece, students will be researching Memorial Day and writing about what they learned.  Check out the pack below or by clicking {HERE}.



On a side note: I have received several kind emails and messages about creating a writing pack for June/July for those who are in year-round schooling and I'm happy to say that YES, I will definitely be creating a June/July pack for those people.  I will be laying by the pool while you use it though!  :)

Also, if your students are already in summer-mode, why not use that to your advantage?!  Check out my Summer Math and Literacy Centers {Common Core-Aligned}.  The activities are a perfect review of several key skills found in the CCSS with a summer theme that your kiddos will LOVE!  Perfect for the last month of school!  You can check them out below or click {HERE}.



We are officially into the teens for the number of days of school left, so I am jumping for joy!  How many days of school do you have left?

1 comment

  1. Hi - regarding your kiss your brain and bubble gum jars: where did you get those jars? They would work perfectly in my classroom. Thanks!

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