Second Grade Butterfly Project

Every year the second graders raise Red Admiral Butterflies.

I was wondering what to do with the kids at the end of the year and mom came up with this idea.

She's a smart cookie, even came up with the idea for a loop to put on your finger. 

I traced around a template onto sheet foam. You saw mom above cutting them out. There were only 80 to do.

We looked around the craft shops for ideas for the color areas and came up with this.

For the loop, body and antenna, bend a pipe cleaner in half without creasing.

Leave an inch above for the antenna, take loop around the back and front of the body. Take loop over antenna and twist twice. There's your finger loop!

I Love Second Graders

I wanted to share all my wonderful birthday cards from some of my favorite people!!!

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Birthday with the Lorax

It's coming, it's almost here, Dr. Seuss' Birthday.

Last year I made truffula trees with the second graders and knitted them a thneed. This year I'll have the Lorax to pass around, can you tell this is my favorite Seuss book!

Below are the links to my other Seuss projects:

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/thneed.html

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/truffula-trees.html

Bouncable Polar Bear

 I did an oopsie on Wednesday when I was volunteering with the second graders. They all caught me, some said look she broke it, others said it was an accident, I ignored them because when you're helping with the second grade you can't stop to evaluate! I finished for the day, told the teacher I'd rectify the problem and went home to figure out how to do that.

She had a resin snowman sitting on a shelf that I dropped. A decoration for the winter that needed replacing. I remembered the arctic animals we make every year and knew what to do. 

I think I'll knit him a scarf. Nothing here that's breakable!

The kids will be able to use him as a guide when making their bread dough animals.

See: http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/bread-glue.html

 He started with fiber fill that I wrapped with thread in order to save on wool and then covered it.

He looked like a pig for a long time.

Of course he has paddy paws!

2nd Grade Moss Terrarium

This is the second year I've made mini terrariums with the second graders. With 3 classes this year that's about 60 kids.

They did a beautiful job and there wasn't too much mess.

Simon just wants to stick his nose deep inside but I won't let him.

Simple cups with lids I picked up at the party store. Below is my section on terrariums and below that is last years tutorial on making kids take home terrariums. Check them out!

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/search/label/terrarium

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/kids-take-home-moss-terrarium.html

Ready for Tomorrow

I'm positive you can't tell the needle felted bunnies vs the marshmallow bunnies!

School tomorrow Amy.

2nd Grade Zoo Trip

We'll focus on the animals, see the rhino?

I swear they're feeding the flamingos cheese curls!

Look the zebras.

A giraffe for Charlene.

I caught the polar bear before he dove into the water.

I titled this post 2nd Grade Zoo Trip but the second graders are more scary than the animals. I am happy to say thought, I was responsible for 8 children and I came out with 8 children. Trust me that was no easy task!

Truffula Trees

Well, I am winding 70 yarn balls so the kids can make pom poms on Wednesday.

The pom poms will be made into Truffula Trees. And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs.

Also see my Theed at:

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/thneed.html

Thneed

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss' birthday and I will be volunteering at the elementary school that very day, Yipee! That means I get to read my favorite Seuss story, The Lorax and do a Seuss craft. I've been working on a bit of show and tell also.

The pink item here is a thneed, "A Thneed's a Fine Something-That-All-People-Need!" suffice it to say it has many uses.

You won't find a pattern for a thneed and each picture in the book shows a different style. You just have to wing it which is what the Once-ler probably did.

This piece will be donated to the school afterwards so that they can remember this lesson for years to come. The story of over using our precious resources.

Also see my Truffula Trees at:

http://karenmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/truffula-trees.html

First Day Back

You may remember that I volunteer in a local elementary school. Well, in September the teachers were swamped with work and in October I had my mom here. So this was my first day back and it was time to make bookmarks!

I cut 3 x 9 rectangles of foam. This year it's not two classes I'm working with, it's three, yikes!

 But thank goodness someone gave me their old paper cutter. It does the job in no time. Anyway, I had a really fun day meeting all the new kids.

Birthday Cards

Look what my elementary school friends made me.

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Skittles wanted to help.