Parent Appreciation

Hi there!

  

Today I'm going to share how we celebrate our parents at the end of the school year!

So, every year we invite our moms and dads to our classroom to say, "THANK YOU" for a wonderful school year.  We started off just moms, and then when my youngest son was in first grade, he asked why we didn't invite dads. So, the tradition changed, and I'm so glad it did!

We decorate our sweet little classroom, and have two different times for parents to come.  Students create a book for mom and a book for dad.  We also do a small craft for mom (the flower with their cute little thumb prints as bees) and we (I) create a video of our year together for dad.  I always make extra DVDs for families that are no longer together, so that mom will get one as well. Obviously the DVD is treasured for many, many years.  I show a shortened version (about 8 minutes) during our Appreciation Day, but I give them the extended version (usually about 30-45 minutes long).  

HOW IT WORKS!

The parents come in and the students direct them to their spot. Then they read their special little book to their mom and then their dad.  The poster board (on their chair) is full of their writings throughout the year.  Usually the students decorate this on the first few days of school, as a time filler, but this year I'm waiting until a few weeks before our appreciation day.  I think they will come out a little better now that they've had a school year to grow and take pride in their work. Yep - just a little OCD.  Students also serve their parents punch and snacks (usually mini-muffins), while parents enjoy our school-year video.  **Show the video several times to the students before this day - or else they will be shouting out something about every.SINGLE.picture. (Learned that the hard way! :)  They just can't contain their excitement.

Last year we did flowers, but this year we are going to do a candle inside the mason jar with their thumb prints in yellow.  We will attach a saying, "You light up my life".  

   CRAFTIVITY!

Here's the craftivity that we create as well. (I'll put the link to TPT once product is complete with new clip art.)  This year my mom and dad faces will look a little different.  I have a new clip artist that is creating a mom and dad specifically for this product.  I can't wait to see how they turn out.  Suggestion:  Always read the final written product (even though you've read the "sloppy copies" many times!)  One of my students decided to change up the wording on their final copy.  Need I say more?

Here's the new craftivity for this year.  A sweet friend designed these faces for me.  The dad has with and without glasses.  (Click on the picture to see it in my store.) Here's the real reason we've decided to switch images - check out dad's teeth in the above image.  I didn't realize that until the child's mom brought it to my attention many years later.  The student that did the above is now in 7th grade, and I had her little brother last year. (That's when mom commented on the teeth... YIKES!)  

ALL ABOUT MOM & DAD

Here's our 5-page booklet.  Many moons ago we did a 10-page book.  HAHA!  I still laugh when I think about that.  We are now down to 5 pages, and I'm sure a few co-workers would like it to be The Best 3 things! ;)  Even though this book takes a while to do, I know that this is a keepsake for many years to come.  I still have mine.  Anyway - this booklet has a cover, then a poem for the inside cover (A poem for a girl to give to dad, a poem for a girl to give to mom, a poem for a boy to give to mom, and a poem for a boy to give to dad).  There's also a back cover that has some funny things to write about mom and dad.  (height, favorite foods, weight...) Yep, weight is on there, and that's always priceless!!


Anyway - I hope you've enjoyed my little SHOW-N-TELL Appreciation Day Celebration!  You can click on the picture to see these two products in my store! (Five page booklet and craftivity are old separately!)